What is the primary difference between a Local Secondary Index (LSI) and a Global Secondary Index (GSI) in DynamoDB?

Direct Answer (Verified)Reviewed by Sunny (Senior Cloud Engineer)

Correct Answer: LSI uses the same partition key as the table; GSI can have a different partition key

LSIs allow for alternative sort keys for the same partition key, while GSIs allow for completely different partition and sort keys....

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Real Exam ScenarioAmazon DynamoDB

What is the primary difference between a Local Secondary Index (LSI) and a Global Secondary Index (GSI) in DynamoDB?

✓ Correct Answer & ExplanationAmazon DynamoDB

Correct Answer

LSI uses the same partition key as the table; GSI can have a different partition key

Why This Answer Is Correct

LSIs allow for alternative sort keys for the same partition key, while GSIs allow for completely different partition and sort keys.

📚 What This Question Tests

This question evaluates your knowledge of Amazon DynamoDB — a core concept tested in AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03). Understanding Amazon DynamoDB is essential for designing scalable, secure, and cost-effective cloud architectures. Mastery of this topic will help you answer scenario-based questions confidently on exam day.