Is Running Count(*) Expensive on Cassandra?

The `count(*)` function in Apache Cassandra returns the number of rows in a table, but it is expensive due to the full table scan required. This can be problematic as Cassandra tables are distributed across multiple nodes. There are alternative methods for counting rows that do not require running the `count(*)` function, such as using secondary indexes or executing queries with specific WHERE clauses. These alternatives can save resources and still provide accurate results. DataStax Academy offers courses to enhance Cassandra skills further.