What performance implications are there for eager vs lazy loading?

Short answer: Loading Type Pros Cons Eager Fewer queries, good for large data sets Loads everything even if not used Lazy Loads only when needed Risk of N+1 queries, more round-trips Explicit Fine-grained control More code complexity ✅ Eager is best for performance when you know you'll need related data. ❌ Lazy can hurt performance unless used carefully (e.g., in UI apps).

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.