Optimizing database cursor operations in key-value stores

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a processing device, a request to identify, in a key-value store, a target key based on a specified key;
• identifying a first sequence of key-value pairs associated with the key-value store, wherein the first sequence comprises most recently used key-value pairs;
• identifying a second sequence of key-value pairs associated with the key-value store, wherein the second sequence comprises remaining key-value pairs of the key-value store;
• identifying, among a first key of the first sequence of the most recently used key-value pairs and a second key of the second sequence of the remaining key-value pairs, a smallest key that is equal or greater than the specified key;
• advancing to a next key in a sequence of key-value pairs that contains the identified smallest key;
• responsive to determining that the next key does not identify a deleted key-value pair, designating the next key as the target key;
• and
• performing a database operation using the target key.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by a computing device, a request to identify, in a key-value store, a target key based on a specified key;
• identifying a first sequence of key-value pairs associated with the key-value store, wherein the first sequence comprises most recently used key-value pairs;
• identifying a second sequence of key-value pairs associated with the key-value store, wherein the second sequence comprises remaining key-value pairs of the key-value store;
• identifying, among a first key of the first sequence of the most recently used key-value pairs and a second key of the second sequence of the remaining key-value pairs, a smallest key that is equal or greater than the specified key;
• advancing to a next key in a sequence of key-value pairs that contains the identified smallest key;
• responsive to determining that the next key does not identify a deleted key-value pair, designating the next key as the target key;
• and
• performing a database operation using the target key.