Methods and apparatus for efficiently implementing a fast-copyable database

A fast-copyable database apparatus includes a processor and a memory in electronic communication with the processor. The memory stores a database table with multiple records each having a compound key including a version identifier. The memory also stores instructions executable to cause the processor to generate a first virtual clone of the database table and a second virtual clone of the database table, receive a query at the first virtual clone, and modify the query so that it includes a version identifier of the first virtual clone. The processor can query the database table using the modified query to generate a response based in part on each record from the set of records having a version identifier associated with an ancestral path of the version identifier of the first virtual clone, and send the response. Each compound key includes a version identifier and a data portion.