Dev Tools · 1h ago
PostgreSQL Can Shrink B+tree Height After Deletions, Oracle Cannot
B+tree index height determines lookup cost, typically increasing as data grows. Oracle never reduces index height even after mass deletions, requiring a rebuild. PostgreSQL, however, can automatically decrease effective B+tree height without a rebuild, reducing read costs.
Meridian48 take
This highlights a practical advantage of PostgreSQL's index management over Oracle's, though index bloat remains a concern in Postgres.
b+treedatabase-indexing