A grid file is usually used in cases where a single value can be referenced by multiple keys.
A grid file began being used because "traditional file structures that provide multikey access to records, for example, inverted files, are extensions of file structures originally designed for single-key access. They manifest various deficiencies in particular for multikey access to highly dynamic files."
In a traditional single dimensional data structure (e.g. hash), a search on a single criterion is usually very simple but searching for a second criterion can be much more complex.
Grid files represent a special kind of hashing, where the traditional hash is replaced by a grid directory.
Read more about Grid File: Advantages, Disadvantages, Related Data Structures
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