Data partitioning refers to the logical division of a dataset into smaller, more manageable pieces based on some criteria.
Data sharding refers to the horizontal partitioning of data across multiple physical nodes or servers in a distributed system.
Key differences between data partitioning and data sharding include scope, purpose, physical location, and independence.
Partitioning is suitable for single database systems to improve query performance, while sharding is used for scalability and fault tolerance in distributed systems.