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Database indexing: the performance win teams overlook

Ali Haider
Ali Haider
Lead Software Engineer
Jun 16, 2026
·
6 min read

Before you reach for more servers, read the query plan. The overwhelming majority of performance problems we’re handed come down to a query doing a full table scan where a single index would turn it into an instant lookup.

Index what you filter and sort on

Columns that show up in WHERE, JOIN, and ORDER BY clauses are your candidates. Composite indexes should follow the order your queries use. And every index has a write cost, so don’t index everything — index deliberately.

Turn on the slow-query log, find the worst offenders, add the right index, and measure. It’s the highest-leverage hour you’ll spend on performance all quarter.

Ali Haider
Ali Haider
Lead Software Engineer, Codevioso

Experienced full stack developer with expertise in modern web technologies. Passionate about creating efficient and scalable applications.