In which scenario might large documents be advantageous?

Choosing large documents can be advantageous when embedding offers data locality. In MongoDB, the flexibility of document structure allows for embedding related data within a single document, which can improve the efficiency of data access and retrieval. This approach minimizes the need for complex queries that involve multiple collections or documents, as all the relevant information is stored together.

When data is embedded in a document, it becomes easier to fetch all the necessary information in a single database operation, reducing the number of read operations needed. This can be particularly effective in scenarios where related data is queried together frequently. The close proximity of the data within the same document supports more efficient cache utilization and can improve performance.

Using large documents in this manner aligns well with MongoDB's strengths in schema design, where the goal is to model the data in a way that reflects the relationships and usage patterns in the application. This approach allows developers to optimize for performance and convenience, achieving better data locality and reducing the overhead associated with joins.