Composite index and column order in SQL - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Creating and Using Composite Indexes in SQL

📖 Scenario: You are managing a database for an online bookstore. The books table stores information about each book, including its author, genre, and publication_year. To speed up searches that filter by author and genre, you want to create a composite index.

🎯 Goal: Build a composite index on the books table using the columns author and genre in the correct order to optimize queries filtering by these columns.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a books table with columns id, author, genre, and publication_year.

Add a composite index named idx_author_genre on the author and genre columns.

Write a query that selects all books by a specific author and genre using the composite index.

Explain the importance of column order in the composite index.

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Composite indexes are used in databases to speed up searches that filter on multiple columns, such as finding books by author and genre quickly.

💼 Career

Database administrators and developers use composite indexes to optimize query performance and ensure applications run efficiently.

1

Create the books table

Write a SQL statement to create a table called books with columns: id as an integer primary key, author as a VARCHAR(100), genre as a VARCHAR(50), and publication_year as an integer.

SQL

-- Create the books table with the specified columns
-- Your code here

Hint

Use CREATE TABLE with the specified column names and types.

2

Add a composite index on author and genre

Write a SQL statement to create a composite index named idx_author_genre on the books table using the columns author and genre in that order.

SQL

CREATE TABLE books (
    id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    author VARCHAR(100),
    genre VARCHAR(50),
    publication_year INT
);
-- Create composite index idx_author_genre on author and genre
-- Your code here

Hint

Use CREATE INDEX with the index name and specify the columns in the correct order.

3

Write a query using the composite index

Write a SQL query to select all columns from the books table where the author is 'Jane Austen' and the genre is 'Romance'. Use the composite index you created.

SQL

CREATE TABLE books (
    id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    author VARCHAR(100),
    genre VARCHAR(50),
    publication_year INT
);
CREATE INDEX idx_author_genre ON books (author, genre);
-- Write a SELECT query filtering by author and genre
-- Your code here

Hint

Use SELECT * FROM books WHERE author = 'Jane Austen' AND genre = 'Romance'.

4

Explain the importance of column order in composite indexes

Add a SQL comment explaining why the order of columns in the composite index idx_author_genre matters for query performance.

SQL

CREATE TABLE books (
    id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    author VARCHAR(100),
    genre VARCHAR(50),
    publication_year INT
);
CREATE INDEX idx_author_genre ON books (author, genre);
SELECT * FROM books WHERE author = 'Jane Austen' AND genre = 'Romance';
-- Add a comment explaining column order importance
-- Your code here

Hint

Write a comment starting with -- explaining that the first column in the index is used first for filtering.

Practice

1. What is the main benefit of using a composite index in a database?

easy

A. It encrypts the data for security.

B. It reduces the size of the database file.

C. It automatically backs up the database.

D. It speeds up queries filtering on multiple columns together.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what a composite index does

   A composite index is created on multiple columns to help the database find rows faster when queries filter on those columns together.

2. Step 2: Compare options to the definition

   Only It speeds up queries filtering on multiple columns together. correctly describes the benefit of speeding up queries using multiple columns. Other options describe unrelated features.

3. Final Answer:

   It speeds up queries filtering on multiple columns together. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Composite index = speeds up multi-column queries [OK]

Hint: Composite index helps multi-column filters run faster [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it reduces database size
• Confusing indexing with backup or encryption
• Assuming it speeds up single-column queries only

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to create a composite index on columns last_name and first_name in a table employees?

easy

A. CREATE INDEX idx_name ON employees last_name, first_name;

B. CREATE INDEX idx_name ON employees (last_name, first_name);

C. CREATE INDEX idx_name (last_name, first_name) ON employees;

D. CREATE INDEX idx_name ON employees WHERE last_name, first_name;

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall correct CREATE INDEX syntax

   The correct syntax is: CREATE INDEX index_name ON table_name (column1, column2);

2. Step 2: Match options to syntax

   CREATE INDEX idx_name ON employees (last_name, first_name); matches the correct syntax exactly. Options A, C, and D have syntax errors or misplaced keywords.

3. Final Answer:

   CREATE INDEX idx_name ON employees (last_name, first_name); -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   CREATE INDEX ... ON table (columns) [OK]

Hint: Use parentheses around columns after ON table [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting parentheses around columns
• Placing columns before ON keyword
• Using WHERE instead of column list

3. Given a composite index on (city, age) in a table users, which query will use the index efficiently?

medium

A. SELECT * FROM users WHERE age = 25 AND city = 'Boston';

B. SELECT * FROM users WHERE age > 30;

C. SELECT * FROM users WHERE city = 'Boston' AND age > 30;

D. SELECT * FROM users WHERE city = 'Boston' ORDER BY age DESC;

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand index column order usage

   A composite index on (city, age) can be used efficiently if the query filters on city first, then age.

2. Step 2: Analyze each query

   SELECT * FROM users WHERE city = 'Boston' AND age > 30; filters on city and age, matching index order. SELECT * FROM users WHERE age > 30; filters only on age (second column), so index is less useful. SELECT * FROM users WHERE age = 25 AND city = 'Boston'; filters age first, then city, which is less efficient. SELECT * FROM users WHERE city = 'Boston' ORDER BY age DESC; filters city but only orders by age, which may use index partially.

3. Final Answer:

   SELECT * FROM users WHERE city = 'Boston' AND age > 30; -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Index (city, age) best for city then age filters [OK]

Hint: Filter on first index column before others [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming index works well if filtering only second column
• Ignoring column order in composite index
• Thinking ORDER BY always uses index fully

4. You created a composite index on (department, salary) but your query filtering only on salary is slow. What is the likely cause?

medium

A. The index column order starts with department, so filtering only salary can't use it well.

B. The index is corrupted and needs rebuilding.

C. The salary column data type is incompatible with indexing.

D. The database does not support composite indexes.

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall how composite index column order affects usage

   Composite indexes work best when filtering starts with the first column. Filtering only on the second column (salary) won't use the index efficiently.

2. Step 2: Evaluate options

   The index column order starts with department, so filtering only salary can't use it well. correctly explains the cause. Options A, B, and D are unlikely or incorrect because the index exists and salary can be indexed normally.

3. Final Answer:

   The index column order starts with department, so filtering only salary can't use it well. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Filter must start with first index column [OK]

Hint: Filter on first index column to use composite index [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming any column in index can be filtered efficiently alone
• Blaming index corruption without checking usage
• Ignoring column order importance

5. You have a table orders with columns customer_id, order_date, and status. You often run queries filtering by customer_id and sorting by order_date. Which composite index will optimize these queries best?

hard

A. CREATE INDEX idx_customer_date ON orders (customer_id, order_date);

B. CREATE INDEX idx_date_customer ON orders (order_date, customer_id);

C. CREATE INDEX idx_status_customer ON orders (status, customer_id);

D. CREATE INDEX idx_order ON orders (order_date);

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify query filter and sort columns

   Queries filter by customer_id and sort by order_date, so index should start with customer_id and include order_date next.

2. Step 2: Match index column order to query pattern

   CREATE INDEX idx_customer_date ON orders (customer_id, order_date); matches this order (customer_id, order_date), allowing efficient filtering and sorting. CREATE INDEX idx_date_customer ON orders (order_date, customer_id); reverses order, less efficient for filtering. Options A, B, and C do not match query needs.

3. Final Answer:

   CREATE INDEX idx_customer_date ON orders (customer_id, order_date); -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Index columns match filter then sort order [OK]

Hint: Index columns in filter then sort order [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Reversing column order in composite index
• Indexing unrelated columns
• Using single-column index when composite needed