Database indexes are designed to improve the speed and efficiency of data retrieval operations. They function by maintaining a separate structure that points to the rows in a table, allowing the database to look up data more quickly without scanning the entire table.

There are various types of database indexes, each with its unique characteristics and use cases. Understanding these different index types is crucial for optimizing the performance of database systems and ensuring efficient data retrieval.

In this section, we will explore several common types of database indexes.