Which of the following is a disadvantage of indexes?

• A. Occupies space
• B. Improve update speed
• C. Eliminate need to index
• D. Reduce data integrity

Answer: (A)

Indexes provide a fast path to locate rows by keeping a separate, ordered structure for chosen columns, mapping values to row pointers. The main downside is that this structure uses extra storage, so it occupies additional space beyond the table itself. As the table grows, the index grows as well, increasing overall storage needs. There’s also maintenance overhead: when data is inserted, updated, or deleted, the index must be updated to stay in sync, which can slow write operations. The other statements don’t fit as disadvantages of indexes: they don’t inherently improve update speed, they don’t eliminate the need to create indexes, and they don’t inherently reduce data integrity (indexes can even help enforce constraints like uniqueness).