Technology Encyclopedia Home >Is there a limit to the number of database indexes that can be created?

Is there a limit to the number of database indexes that can be created?

Created on 2025-06-17 15:37:53
166

Yes, there is typically a limit to the number of database indexes that can be created, and this limit depends on the specific database management system (DBMS) being used.

For example:

  • MySQL with InnoDB: The maximum number of indexes per table is 64.
  • PostgreSQL: There is no hard-coded limit, but practical constraints like storage and performance may apply.
  • SQL Server: The maximum number of indexes per table is 999 (including clustered and non-clustered indexes).

Exceeding these limits will result in errors when attempting to create additional indexes.

In cloud database services like TencentDB for MySQL or TencentDB for PostgreSQL, the same underlying engine limitations apply. However, Tencent Cloud provides optimized performance and scalability, allowing efficient index management. If you need to handle complex queries, consider using Tencent Cloud's Database Optimization Tools to analyze and refine index usage.

Example: If you're using TencentDB for MySQL and try to create a 65th index on a table, the operation will fail with an error indicating the index limit has been reached. To resolve this, you may need to drop unused indexes or redesign your query patterns.