When is it useful to expand a function in a fourier series?

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Taylor expansion is very useful when we approximate a complicated function near a point. Often we only have to know the first (or sometimes also second) derivative.

But in the case of expanding in a Fourier series, if the function is simple (like a polinomial) it gets more complicated.

If it is a complicated function, the integrals to calculate the coeficients may be very complicated (if analytic integrals exists).

It seems that it is the opposite of Taylor expansion: instead of simplifying, it complicates.

When is it useful to substitute an analytical function by its Fourier expansion?