Re: {CREATE INDEX, REINDEX} CONCURRENTLY improvements

On 2021-Jan-18, Matthias van de Meent wrote:

> Example:
>
> 1.) RI starts
> 2.) PHASE 2: filling the index:
> 2.1.) scanning the heap (live tuple is cached)
> < tuple is deleted
> < last transaction other than RI commits, only snapshot of RI exists
> < vacuum drops the tuple, and cannot remove it from the new index
> because this new index is not yet populated.
> 2.2.) sorting tuples
> 2.3.) index filled with tuples, incl. deleted tuple
> 3.) PHASE 3: wait for transactions
> 4.) PHASE 4: validate does not remove the tuple from the index,
> because it is not built to do so: it will only insert new tuples.
> Tuples that are marked for deletion are removed from the index only
> through VACUUM (and optimistic ALL_DEAD detection).
>
> According to my limited knowledge of RI, it requires VACUUM to not run
> on the table during the initial index build process (which is
> currently guaranteed through the use of a snapshot).

VACUUM cannot run concurrently with CIC or RI in a table -- both acquire
ShareUpdateExclusiveLock, which conflicts with itself, so this cannot
occur.

I do wonder if the problem you suggest (or something similar) can occur
via HOT pruning, though.

--
Álvaro Herrera Valdivia, Chile