What is advised to avoid when it comes to using wildcards in search terms?

Using wildcards only at the beginning or middle of a string is generally discouraged because it can significantly impact search performance. When wildcards are placed at the start of a string (for example, "*term"), the search engine must scan through all indexed data to find matches, which leads to a full table scan. This is resource-intensive and can slow down the retrieval of results.

In addition, using wildcards in the middle of search terms can also create similar issues, as it forces the search engine to examine more data than if the wildcard were placed at the end. This approach often results in longer response times and can increase the load on the system, especially when dealing with large datasets.

By avoiding wildcards at the beginning or middle of a string, you help ensure that searches remain efficient and performant. It is more optimal to use wildcards at the end of strings, as this does not impede the search engine's ability to narrow down results effectively, allowing for faster and more accurate searches.