B Tree Vs. B+ Tree: Explore The Difference Between B Tree and B+ Tree
B tree is a self-balancing tree that helps in maintaining and sorting data, and also grants searches, insertions, deletions, and sequential access. Whereas, B+ tree is an extension of the B tree that helps in reducing the drawback linked with the B tree. Let’s find out some major differences between the B tree and the B+ tree.
What is a B Tree?
B tree is a popular terminology that belongs to the computer science family. It is a balancing tree that helps in maintaining and sorting data, and also grants searches, insertions, deletions, and sequential access. It is also known as an m-way tree where m is used to determine the order of the tree. Depending upon the value of m, a B-tree node can have more than one key and more than two children based on the value of m.
Also, in the case of B-tree, it allows both key values and data pointers in internal and leaf nodes. This is counted as one of the major disadvantages because the capability to embed the nodes at a particular level is reduced thus extending the node levels in it, which is not good.
What is a B+ Tree?
B+ tree is nothing but an advancement of B tree that allows efficient and smooth insertion, deletion, and sequential access. It is also known as an n-array tree which holds a large number of children per node.
B+ tree helps in reducing the drawback faced by B-tree by saving the data pointers at the leaf node level and simply stocking the key values in the internal nodes.
Difference between B Tree and B+ Tree
| S.No | B tree | B+ tree |
| 1. | B tree is a popular terminology that belongs to the computer science family. It is a balancing tree that helps in maintaining and sorting data, and also grants searches, insertions, deletions, and sequential access. | B+ tree is nothing but an advancement of B tree that allows efficient and smooth insertion, deletion, and sequential access. |
| 2. | In the case of B tree, the leaf nodes include data pointers. | In the case of B+ tree, only the leaf nodes include data pointers. |
| 3. | Here, the insertion may take longer. | Here, the insertion is easier and faster than the B tree. |
| 4. | In B tree, there is no duplicate of keys sustained in the tree. | In B+ tree, duplicates of keys are maintained. |
| 5. | The search process may take a longer time because all the keys are not obtainable at the leaf. | Here the search is faster than the B tree as the keys are present at leaf nodes. |
| 6. | Deletion process is complicated. | Deletion process is easier. |
| 7. | There are no redundant search keys available . | The redundant search keys are available. |
| 8. | In the B tree, all the leaf nodes are not saved as a structural linked list. | On the B+ tree, all the leaf nodes are saved as a structural linked list. |
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