índexs

Índexs are systematic listings that help locate information within a larger collection. The word comes from the Latin index, and in Catalan the plural form is índexs. An index is typically a curated map of where content can be found, often organized by topics, names, or attributes.

In printed works, an index appears at the end and consists of entries that link subjects to page references, enabling readers to jump to relevant passages. There are subject indexes, author indexes, geographic indexes, and specialized indexes for figures, tables, or events.

In libraries and databases, indexes are data structures or catalogs that speed up search. A library index supports discovery across a collection, while a database index (such as B-trees or bitmap indexes) helps locate rows quickly. For text content, inverted indexes map terms to documents where they occur.

In information retrieval and web search, indexing involves tokenization, normalization, and removing stop words, followed by building inverted indexes and other structures. Indexes enable fast query processing and ranking, and are maintained through periodic reindexing to reflect updates.

Challenges include keeping indexes current, balancing speed and storage, and ensuring relevance. Design depends on data model, query patterns, and update frequency. Across disciplines, indexes share the goal of making information findable with minimal effort.