Answer
A partial index applies only to rows meeting a condition, reducing storage and improving performance.
Quick Answer
Partial index indexes only rows matching a WHERE condition. Example: CREATE INDEX ON orders (user_id) WHERE status = "active". Smaller than a full index (only active orders indexed), faster to maintain, and PostgreSQL can only use it when the query matches the WHERE condition. Use when most queries target a subset of rows (active records, recent data, non-null values).
S
SugharaIQ Editorial Team
Verified Answer
This answer has been peer-reviewed by industry experts holding senior engineering roles to ensure technical accuracy and relevance for modern interview standards.
Want to bookmark, take notes, or join discussions?
Sign in to access all features and personalize your learning experience.
Source: SugharaIQ