What are "Aggregates" used for in OutSystems?

Aggregates in OutSystems are primarily designed to provide a declarative way to retrieve and manipulate data from the database. They are a crucial component in the platform as they allow developers to create queries visually, selecting the data they need without requiring extensive knowledge of SQL. This graphical approach simplifies the process of bringing data into an application and manipulating it as necessary, such as filtering, sorting, and joining data tables.

While aggregates can indirectly aid in analytics, visualization, and performance, their main function is to manage data retrieval. They abstract the complexity of SQL queries, making it easier for developers to interact with the underlying data model and perform operations like filtering based on various conditions, sorting the results, and defining calculations directly within the UI.

The other options, while related to data and application performance, do not encapsulate the primary function of aggregates within the OutSystems framework. For example, caching data is a different concept that focuses on performance improvement, while formatting data is about presentation rather than retrieval and manipulation. Therefore, the distinguishing feature of aggregates is their declarative nature in managing database interactions.