Primary Index

Table of Contents in a Book

Imagine a primary index as a book's table of contents. Like how the table of contents shows the page number for each chapter, a primary index keeps the location of data records in a database. Each chapter (or data record) has a unique identifier, making it easy to find the exact chapter you need.

Key Points

• Unique Key: Each record has a unique identifier.

• Ordered: Organized in a specific order (like alphabetical or numerical).

• Efficient Access: Enables fast and direct retrieval of records.

Secondary Index

Keyword Search in a Library Catalog

Imagine doing a keyword search in a library catalog. You're not searching by the unique book ID (the primary index), but by topics or authors. This is like a secondary index, where you can search for records using attributes other than the primary key.

Key Points

• Non-Unique Attributes: Can reference attributes that are not necessarily unique.

• Flexibility: Offers more ways to search for data than just the primary key.

• Potential Trade-off in Speed: Can be slower than primary indexes, as it might involve an extra step to retrieve the actual record.

Summary

• Primary Index: Like a book's table of contents, it's direct and efficient, using unique identifiers.

• Secondary Index: Similar to a keyword search in a library catalog, it provides flexibility but might be slower.