Re: Understanding how partial indexes work? - Mailing list pgsql-general

From Tom Lane
Subject Re: Understanding how partial indexes work?
Date
Msg-id 14932.1196955560@sss.pgh.pa.us
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In response to Understanding how partial indexes work?  ("Chris Velevitch" <chris.velevitch@gmail.com>)
Responses Re: Understanding how partial indexes work?
List pgsql-general
"Chris Velevitch" <chris.velevitch@gmail.com> writes:
> I have a query on a table:-
>      X between k1 and k2 or X < k1 and Y <> k3

> where k1, k2, k3 are constants.

> How would this query work, if I created an index on X and a partial
> index on X where Y <> k3?

Is it worth the trouble?  You didn't mention the statistics involved,
but ordinarily I'd think a non-equal condition is too nonselective
to justify the cost of maintaining an extra index.

The real problem here is that "X < k1" is probably too nonselective
as well, which will likely lead the planner to decide that a plain
seqscan is the cheapest solution.  In principle the above could be
done with a BitmapOr of two indexscans on X, but unless the constants
are such that only a small fraction of rows are going to be selected,
it's likely that a seqscan is the way to go.

            regards, tom lane

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