GiST index
A PostgreSQL index type used by PostGIS to accelerate spatial queries on geometry columns.
Category: Files & Data · Also known as: Generalized Search Tree, PostGIS index
Definition (expanded)
GiST (Generalized Search Tree) is the most common index type for PostGIS geometry columns. It typically indexes geometry bounding boxes to accelerate queries like ST_Intersects and ST_DWithin, then refines results with exact checks.
Related terms
PostGISA spatial extension for PostgreSQL that adds geometry types, indexes, and functions like ST_Intersects and ST_Union.Spatial indexA data structure that speeds up spatial queries like intersects and within by narrowing candidates quickly.Bounding Box (BBox)A rectangle that fully contains a geometry, usually represented as [minX, minY, maxX, maxY].