Index Only Scan vs Materialized Views

Developers should use Index Only Scan when designing queries and indexes to optimize read-heavy workloads, such as analytical queries or reporting systems meets developers should use materialized views when dealing with slow, complex queries in read-heavy applications, such as reporting dashboards, data analytics, or caching frequently accessed data. Here's our take.

Index Only Scan

Nice Pick

Developers should use Index Only Scan when designing queries and indexes to optimize read-heavy workloads, such as analytical queries or reporting systems

Pros

• It is particularly valuable in databases like PostgreSQL or MySQL for queries that filter and retrieve columns already indexed, as it minimizes disk access and speeds up response times
• Related to: database-indexing, query-optimization

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Materialized Views

Developers should use materialized views when dealing with slow, complex queries in read-heavy applications, such as reporting dashboards, data analytics, or caching frequently accessed data

Pros

• They are ideal for scenarios where real-time data is not critical, as they reduce database load and latency by serving precomputed results
• Related to: postgresql, oracle-database

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Index Only Scan is a concept while Materialized Views is a database. We picked Index Only Scan based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Index Only Scan wins

Based on overall popularity. Index Only Scan is more widely used, but Materialized Views excels in its own space.