Apache Druid leverages partitioning and pruning techniques to enhance its performance, scalability, and efficiency for real-time analytics. The primary partitioning is often based on time dimensions, where data is split into time chunks to facilitate parallel processing and segment pruning, which allows only necessary segments to be processed during queries. Secondary partitioning, achieved through the SQL CLUSTERED BY clause, further subdivides data based on additional dimensions, enhancing pruning and thus improving query performance and system efficiency. This method is particularly beneficial when dealing with large datasets or skewed distributions, as it helps in avoiding hotspotting by balancing segment sizes. By using SQL-based ingestion, users can control time granularity and optimize dimension-based pruning, making it straightforward to tailor data organization to analytical needs while maintaining robust performance.