Answer
Index bloat occurs due to dead entries. It is resolved using REINDEX, VACUUM FULL, or pg_repack for online index rebuilds without blocking writes.
Quick Answer
Index bloat: dead index entries accumulate as rows are updated/deleted. Unlike the table, index pages are not reclaimed by regular VACUUM (only reused for new entries). Check bloat with pgstattuple or the check-postgres tool. Fix: REINDEX CONCURRENTLY (rebuilds cleanly without downtime, PostgreSQL 12+) or pg_repack (rewrites table and indexes online). Prevent with appropriate autovacuum tuning.
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SugharaIQ Editorial Team
Verified Answer
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Source: SugharaIQ