fetchLatest

fetchLatest is a generic name used in software libraries to denote a function or method that retrieves the most recently added or updated data from a data source. Depending on the library, fetchLatest may return a single record or a small batch, determined by a limit parameter or default configuration. The data source can be a database, a REST API, a message queue, or a data stream. The primary semantics are time-based: records are ordered by a timestamp or version field, and fetchLatest selects those with the greatest value.

In common usage, fetchLatest takes arguments such as source or collection identifier, limit for number of results, and optional filters or since timestamps to narrow the scope. It may support synchronous and asynchronous variants. Returned values typically include the record payload along with metadata like id, timestamp, and source. Some implementations provide pagination or streaming hooks to process newer items as they arrive.

Design considerations include handling of ties when multiple records share the same timestamp, time zones, and whether the function returns only committed data or also in-progress updates. Performance depends on indexing on timestamp fields and efficient querying. Security concerns include ensuring that access controls and authentication policies protect the source data.

Common variants include fetchLatestRecord, fetchLatestBatch, and fetchNewest. The concept is widely used across database clients, API wrappers, and data-processing pipelines to enable near-real-time access to the most current data.