When it comes to database optimization, developers often reach for the same old tools: rewrite the query slightly differently, slap an index on a column, denormalize, analyze, vacuum, cluster, repeat. Conventional techniques are effective, but sometimes being creative can really pay off!

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PostgreSQL offers several unconventional optimization techniques beyond standard indexing. Setting `constraint_exclusion` to 'on' in BI environments prevents full table scans when queries violate check constraints. Function-based indexes on lower-cardinality expressions (like dates instead of timestamps) can reduce index size by 3x while improving query speed. Virtual generated columns in PostgreSQL 18 enforce consistent expression usage without storage overhead. Hash indexes combined with exclusion constraints can enforce uniqueness on large text values with 5x smaller footprint than B-tree indexes, though with limitations on foreign keys and some INSERT operations.

Unconventional PostgreSQL Optimizations

Eliminate Full Table Scans Based on Check Constraints

Optimize for Lower Cardinality With Function Based Index