Glossary
What is Database Indexing?
Creating data structures (indexes) that allow the database to find rows quickly without scanning the entire table. Without indexes, every query reads every row (full table scan). With proper indexes, the database jumps directly to the relevant data. The difference between a query that takes 5ms and one that takes 5 seconds.
Last updated: May 2026
Why it matters
AI-generated database schemas create tables with columns but no indexes. With 100 rows, this doesn't matter. With 10,000 rows, queries slow down. With 100,000 rows, your app becomes unusable. Adding indexes after launch requires careful migration — you can't just slap an index on a production table without potentially locking it for hours.
Where AI gets this wrong
How AI tools get this wrong, and why it matters for your app.
AI creates database schemas that are normalized and correct at the logical level. It doesn't analyze your actual query patterns and create the indexes that make those queries fast. The schema works. The app is slow. And getting slower every day as data accumulates.
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