Hermes Wiki

Quadtrees

A tree structure that recursively divides 2D space into quadrants — used to index spatial data and answer 'what's in this region' queries efficiently.

Why we need this / what value this brings

Gives efficient spatial lookups without needing a database extension — useful when indexing needs to happen in application memory or on the client.

When to use this

In-memory or client-side spatial indexing (e.g. clustering map markers in the browser) rather than database-level queries, which PostGIS handles better.

How to use or implement this

Mostly relevant client-side (e.g. clustering pins on a map at different zoom levels) rather than as Localz's primary server-side geo index.

Research questions

  • When would a quadtree be the right structure vs. relying on PostGIS/GiST indexing at the database level — mainly relevant for in-memory/client-side spatial indexing?

Empty folder — drop notes, links, and findings here as you research.

Hermes Wiki