Question 1

How do I set up dynamodb-geo in a Spring Boot application?

Accepted Answer

Add the library as a Maven dependency, configure AWS credentials in your application properties, and use the GeoDataManager class for spatial operations. The sample server app provides a practical template for integration.

Question 2

Can I use dynamodb-geo with Python or other languages?

Accepted Answer

No, the library is Java-only and relies on the S2 Geometry Library available only in Java and C++. For other languages, you'd need to implement geohash indexing manually or use alternative AWS services like Amazon Location Service.

Question 3

What's the performance impact on large datasets with dynamodb-geo?

Accepted Answer

Performance degrades with large queries due to high memory consumption and Read Capacity Units usage, as all results are loaded into memory. It's best for moderate datasets or with careful capacity planning.

Question 4

How does dynamodb-geo compare to Amazon Location Service?

Accepted Answer

dynamodb-geo is a Java library for custom geospatial queries in DynamoDB, offering low-level control. Amazon Location Service is a managed service with maps, geocoding, and tracking—choose based on need for customization versus ease of use.

Question 5

Is there pagination support to reduce memory usage?

Accepted Answer

The library automatically pages through all results without manual control, loading everything into memory. To mitigate this, limit query bounds or access raw DynamoDB queries directly for custom pagination.

Question 6

Can I filter queries by category, like finding only nearby restaurants?

Accepted Answer

Not directly; without composite key support, you must store items in separate tables per category or add post-query filtering in your code, which adds complexity.

dynamodb-geo

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