As you have learned, the previous query requires a table scan; that is, RethinkDB had to look through the name field in every document. Indexes are a great way to fix queries such as this because they organize data by a given field to let RethinkDB find it quickly.
Our test query uses the name field, so we will now create a simple index on that field.
The quickest way to create an index in RethinkDB is using the web interface.
First, select the people table from the Tables tab, and then click on the Create a new secondary index link. Enter the name of the field on which you wish to create the index. In our example, this is the name field:
When you click on Create, RethinkDB will begin creating the desired index. Depending on your system and how large your dataset is, creating an index may take a few seconds:
When the index is ready to use, you will see a screen similar to this one:
Congratulations! You've just created your very first index.
Now, it's time to use it in...
