Sharding is a database architecture concept that involves dividing a large database into smaller, independent pieces called shards, each responsible for a portion of the data. In blockchain technology, sharding is used to increase scalability and performance by:

1. Distributing network load

2. Enhancing transaction capacity

3. Reducing congestion

4. Improving data retrieval efficiency

5. Enabling parallel processing

6. Supporting increased user adoption

7. Enhancing overall network performance

Sharding allows blockchain networks to process multiple transactions in parallel, increasing overall throughput and reducing the load on individual nodes. This results in faster transaction times, improved network reliability, and increased capacity for growth.

Some popular blockchain platforms that utilize sharding include:

1. Ethereum (planned for future implementation)

2. Polkadot

3. Solana

4. Near Protocol

5. Zilliqa

By implementing sharding, blockchain networks can overcome scalability limitations, supporting widespread adoption and mainstream use cases.