Re: Indexes & Primary Keys (based on the same columns) - Mailing list pgsql-general

From Bill Moran
Subject Re: Indexes & Primary Keys (based on the same columns)
Date
Msg-id 20071022082036.a06e16b8.wmoran@potentialtech.com
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: Indexes & Primary Keys (based on the same columns)  ("Joshua D. Drake" <jd@commandprompt.com>)
Responses Re: Indexes & Primary Keys (based on the same columns)  (Ow Mun Heng <Ow.Mun.Heng@wdc.com>)
List pgsql-general
In response to "Joshua D. Drake" <jd@commandprompt.com>:

> Ow Mun Heng wrote:
> > I'm wondering if what I'm doing is redundant.
> >
> > I have a primary key on columns (A,B,C,D)
> > and I've also defined an index based on the same columns (A,B,C,D)
> >
> > and sometimes in the query explain, I see the pkey being used for the
> > scan instead of the index.
> >
> > So.. That made me think perhaps the additional index on the _same_
> > parameter is redundant.
>
> A primary key creates an index so having a second index with the same
> definition is redundant.

Note the "same definition."

Since this is a multi-column index, there may be some advantage gained
by having indexes defined slightly differently.  I.e., your PK is
(ABCD) but you have an additional index on (DCBA)

Whether or not this is actually helpful depends on the nature of the
queries you run.

--
Bill Moran
http://www.potentialtech.com

pgsql-general by date:

Previous
From: "vincent"
Date:
Subject: Re: looking for some real world performance numbers
Next
From: Bill Moran
Date:
Subject: Re: looking for some real world performance numbers