Database Indexes
Database indexes are data structures that improve the speed of data retrieval operations on a database table at the cost of additional storage and slower write operations. They work by creating a sorted copy of selected columns, allowing the database to quickly locate rows without scanning the entire table. Indexes are essential for optimizing query performance, especially in large datasets.
Developers should learn and use database indexes when dealing with performance-critical queries, such as frequent searches, joins, or filtering on specific columns in large tables. They are crucial for applications with high read loads, like e-commerce platforms or analytics dashboards, where fast data access is paramount. However, indexes should be applied judiciously, as over-indexing can degrade write performance and increase storage overhead.