How to Use ParadeDB JSON Indexes in PostgreSQL

How do I use ParadeDB to speed up JSON searches in PostgreSQL?

ParadeDB’s json index accelerates JSON-field filtering and full-text search inside PostgreSQL tables.

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Description

What problem does ParadeDB’s JSON index solve?

ParadeDB eliminates slow sequential scans when you filter or search inside large JSON/JSONB columns.It creates a purpose-built inverted index that PostgreSQL can leverage via normal SQL, giving millisecond response times.

How do I create a JSON index with ParadeDB?

Create an extension if you haven’t: CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS paradedb; Then build the index: CREATE INDEX products_attr_json_idx ON Products USING paradedb_json (attributes); Optionally add WITH (language='eng', track_nulls=false).

How do I run queries against a ParadeDB JSON index?

Use the @> containment operator for exact matches or parade.json_match() for full-text expressions.PostgreSQL’s planner automatically picks the ParadeDB index if it exists.

Example exact match

SELECT * FROM Products WHERE attributes @> '{"color":"red"}';

Example full-text match

SELECT * FROM Products WHERE parade.json_match(attributes, $$color = "red" & size = "M"$$);

Can I index only part of a JSON document?

Yes. Provide a JSON path: CREATE INDEX orders_items_idx ON OrderItems USING paradedb_json ((detail -> 'specs'));

What maintenance is required?

ParadeDB indexes support REINDEX and VACUUM like any other PostgreSQL index.Use REINDEX INDEX idx_name; after bulk deletes to reclaim space.

Best practices for ParadeDB JSON indexes

Store JSON as JSONB for deterministic ordering.
Index only queried paths to save disk.
Batch writes if you insert thousands of rows—index builds are incremental.

What are common mistakes?

Creating overlapping full-document indexes wastes space; use partial paths.Forgetting to set the proper language option leads to poorer full-text ranking.

When should I avoid ParadeDB JSON indexes?

If your JSON field is rarely queried or the table is tiny, the overhead is unnecessary; rely on sequential scans instead.

Why How to Use ParadeDB JSON Indexes in PostgreSQL is important

How to Use ParadeDB JSON Indexes in PostgreSQL Example Usage


-- Speed up product attribute search
CREATE INDEX products_attr_json_idx ON Products USING paradedb_json (attributes);

-- Find red, medium shirts under $30
SELECT p.name, p.price
FROM Products p
WHERE p.price < 30
  AND parade.json_match(p.attributes, $$color = "red" & size = "M"$$);

How to Use ParadeDB JSON Indexes in PostgreSQL Syntax


CREATE INDEX index_name
    ON table_name
USING paradedb_json ( json_column [ ( json_path ) ] )
[ WITH ( language = 'eng' | 'deu' | 'spa', track_nulls = { true | false } ) ];

-- Options
language      Language for text stemming in full-text mode (default: 'eng')
track_nulls    Whether to index NULL values (default: true)

-- Drop index
DROP INDEX index_name;

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Indexing the entire JSON document when only one path is queried. This wastes disk and slows inserts. Fix: Index specific paths using <code>((json_col -> 'path'))</code>.
Mistake: Expecting the index to work without the extension installed. Fix: Run <code>CREATE EXTENSION paradedb;</code> before creating any ParadeDB index.