When should I use clustered indexes in my database?

When should I use clustered indexes in my database?

Clustered indexes are best used when you need to optimize the retrieval of data that is often accessed in a sorted order. They can significantly improve performance for range queries.

Can you give me an example of when a clustered index would be beneficial?

Sure! If you have a table of sales records and you frequently query for sales within a specific date range, a clustered index on the date column would speed up those queries.

Are there any downsides to using clustered indexes?

Yes, while clustered indexes improve read performance, they can slow down write operations since the data needs to be physically reordered. Also, you can only have one clustered index per table.

How do clustered indexes differ from non-clustered indexes?

Clustered indexes determine the physical order of data in a table, while non-clustered indexes create a separate structure that points to the data. You can have multiple non-clustered indexes on a table.