Craig Mullins: indexes aren't free, and the optimizer is only as smart as your statistics
craigmullins · x · 2026-09-15
- Entries 3 and 4 of Craig Mullins' database lessons: every index consumes storage and must be maintained during inserts/updates/deletes — too few or too many both hurt; indexing is a balancing act.
- The optimizer is only as smart as the information you give it: stale, incomplete, or inappropriate stats cause poor plans. When an access path suddenly changes, first ask what changed in the stats before blaming the optimizer.
Related event: Craig Mullins: Indexing Is a Trade-off, DB Tuning Never Ends(2 posts)→
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