Indexing governs data access and performance—the idea is simple, but powerful: indexing decides which rows your queries touch. The Index Is the Database lays out why speed hinges on how you index [1].
Index as Gatekeeper Indexing is the gate you open to data. If the right index exists, a filter or join can sprint instead of scanning the whole table [1].
Practical Playbook Use the Index, Luke lays out practical indexing and tuning techniques [2]. That guidance maps to real-world decisions as new features shift how data stores optimize queries [3].
PostgreSQL Nuances In PostgreSQL discussions about version 18 features, people talk about how a UNIQUE index on (A,B) can shape GROUP BY behavior. If you group by (A,B,C) and there is a UNIQUE index on (A,B), you can drop C—there will be at most one value of C for each (A,B) pair due to the unique constraint [3]. This is a concrete reminder that index design drives not just speed but how you frame queries in PostgreSQL [3].
Bottom line: the right index design isn’t optional—it’s the backbone of scalable databases. Watch how PostgreSQL evolves to see where indexing strategy goes next.
References referenced: [1], [2], [3]
References
The Index Is the Database
Argues indexing defines data access; query performance hinges on index design; challenges conventional storage separation and data modeling.
View sourceUse the Index, Luke – SQL Indexing and Tuning
Link to SQL indexing and tuning guide; discusses how indexes improve query performance and tuning strategies for databases in practice.
View sourceGoing down the rabbit hole of Postgres 18 features
Comment critiques article, notes mobile display issues, confirms support, and clarifies GROUP BY with UNIQUE indexes in Postgres concepts presented.
View source