Index bloat degrades query performance and increases storage costs

Index bloat occurs when dead tuples and fragmentation accumulate within indexes, causing slower index scans, increased disk I/O, and higher storage costs. Bloat grows over time in high-write workloads without proper vacuum maintenance.

Identify bloated indexes using index bloat queries. Review autovacuum configuration and ensure it runs frequently enough for write-heavy tables. Consider REINDEX CONCURRENTLY for severely bloated indexes. Monitor index size growth trends over time.