> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pg-sharding.tech/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Direct key sharding Direct key sharding (also known as range-based sharding) is a method of distributing data across multiple database shards where each shard holds a contiguous range of data. The sharding key value is used directly to determine which key range (and therefore which shard) the data belongs to. For example, if you are sharding a database of user records by user ID, you might have one shard that holds users with IDs from 1 to 1000, another shard that holds users with IDs from 1001 to 2000, and so on. This method allows for efficient range queries, as all the data within a specific range is located on the same shard. However, it can lead to uneven distribution of data and load between key ranges. If you need more uniform distribution, consider using [hash-based sharding](/sharding/hashed), which also uses key ranges but applies a hash function to the key first. SPQR also supports [composite (multi-column) sharding keys](/sharding/composite_keys) for more complex range-based sharding scenarios, such as sharding by tenant ID and user ID together. ranged ## How to use it? In administrative router or coordinator console it looks like this: ```sql theme={null} CREATE KEY RANGE krid1 FROM 1 ROUTE TO shard01 FOR DISTRIBUTION ds1; add key range --------------- bound -> 1 (1 row) ``` For clarity, we recommend you take a look [get started](/welcome/get_started) guide.