PostgreSQL: Can you create an index in the CREATE TABLE definition?

Question

I want to add indexes to some of the columns in a table on creation. Is there are way to add them to the CREATE TABLE definition or do I have to add them afterward with anot

Answer 1

Peter Krauss is looking for a canonical answer:

There are a MODERN SYNTAX (year 2020), so please explain and show examples, compatible with postgresql.org/docs/current/sql-createtable.html

You are searching for inline index definition, which is not available for PostgreSQL up to current version 12. Except UNIQUE/PRIMARY KEY constraint, that creates underlying index for you.

CREATE TABLE

[ CONSTRAINT constraint_name ] { CHECK ( expression ) [ NO INHERIT ] | UNIQUE ( column_name [, ... ] ) index_parameters | PRIMARY KEY ( column_name [, ... ] ) index_parameters |

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The sample syntax of inline column definition(here SQL Server):

CREATE TABLE tab(
  id INT PRIMARY KEY,                            -- constraint
  c INT INDEX filtered (c) WHERE c > 10,         -- filtered index
  b VARCHAR(10) NOT NULL INDEX idx_tab_b,        -- index on column
  d VARCHAR(20) NOT NULL,
  INDEX my_index NONCLUSTERED(d)                 -- index on column as separate entry
);

db<>fiddle demo

The rationale behind introducing them is quite interesting What are Inline Indexes? by Phil Factor