What is a SPATIAL INDEX and when should I use it?

mysql indexing spatial-index
demian picture demian · Feb 13, 2010 · Viewed 30.4k times · Source

Like most of the average PHP web developers I use MySql as a RDBMS. MySql (as other RDBMS also) offers SPATIAL INDEX features, but I'm don't get it very well. I have googled for it but didn't find clear real world examples to clarify my bad knowledge about it.

Could someone explain me a little bit what is a SPATIAL INDEX and when should I use it?

Answer

Roland Bouman picture Roland Bouman · Feb 13, 2010

You can use a spatial index for indexing geo-objects - shapes. The spatial index makes it possible to efficiently search for objects that overlap in space

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