Is it more efficient to re-query the database with the new sorting criteria or to cache and sort the original data in PHP?

When faced with the decision of whether to re-query the database with new sorting criteria or to cache and sort the original data in PHP, the most efficient approach will depend on the size of the data set and the frequency of sorting changes. If the data set is relatively small and sorting changes are infrequent, it may be more efficient to cache the original data in PHP and sort it locally. However, if the data set is large or sorting changes are frequent, it may be better to re-query the database with the new sorting criteria to ensure optimal performance.

// Assuming $data is the original data retrieved from the database
// and $sortingCriteria is the new sorting criteria

if($sortingCriteria !== $cachedSortingCriteria) {
    // Re-query the database with the new sorting criteria
    $data = fetchDataFromDatabase($sortingCriteria);
    $cachedSortingCriteria = $sortingCriteria;
}

// Sort the data locally in PHP
usort($data, function($a, $b) {
    // Implement custom sorting logic here
    return $a['field'] <=> $b['field'];
});

// Display sorted data
foreach($data as $row) {
    echo $row['field'] . "<br>";
}