Thread: Difference between Bulk Load (Multiple inserts or single inserts) and COPY

The following documentation comment has been logged on the website:

Page: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/sql-copy.html
Description:

Hello,

> I experimented with Bulk load and COPY.
> Loading in COPY was very fast.
> However, after COPYing data from a CSV file to PostgreSQL Table. The
query
> execution took lot of time for 1 of the first 4 queries.
> Only this slow query was taking so much time, that even if I had used
normal
> bulk load, it would have been faster in total.
> Then all other Query executions took equal time as it took while querying
a
> table after the Bulk data load method.
>
> So, I want to know the exact reason what's the issue with COPY.
> How exactly they differ? The only thing from the document I could
identify
> was row security.
> But it did not mention anything about indexing. Like, in Bulk load, do
> indices(or constraint checks) are created with data loading?
> & in COPY it's done after? so when indices are being created that query
> slows down??

*Added details*

"Table & Query details"
I have 1 Table is there having 3 attributes:
TableName{ Column1 Varchar300,  Column2 Varchar300,  Column3 Varchar300};
I haven't created any primary keys or FKs. No other constraints.

Data set size: 150MB / 1M records

Queries:
Select count(*) from Table;
Select count(distinct( Column1, Column2 , Column3 )) from Table;
Select Column1, Column2, Column3 from Table as T1, Table as T2,  Table as T3
where T1. Column1=T2.Column3 and T1. Column1="xyz";

Please let me know, how Bulk load vs. COPY different in both situations
1) Do the internal representation differs after data is loaded using Bulk
vs. COPY?
2) what if I have added Keys and Constraints, are they checked later? Means
loading is shown completed but in background it's creating indices/checking
constraints.
3) Can it be the reason that some other process(which?) is running in
background during query execution ? as I query the data as soon as the load
after COPY is complete.

This is not a documentation question.  For assistance, please join the
appropriate mailing list and post your question:

    http://www.postgresql.org/community

You can also try the #postgresql IRC channel on irc.freenode.net.  See
the PostgreSQL FAQ for more information.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Thu, Dec  5, 2019 at 03:39:24PM +0000, PG Doc comments form wrote:
> The following documentation comment has been logged on the website:
> 
> Page: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/sql-copy.html
> Description:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> > I experimented with Bulk load and COPY.
> > Loading in COPY was very fast.
> > However, after COPYing data from a CSV file to PostgreSQL Table. The
> query
> > execution took lot of time for 1 of the first 4 queries.
> > Only this slow query was taking so much time, that even if I had used
> normal
> > bulk load, it would have been faster in total.
> > Then all other Query executions took equal time as it took while querying
> a
> > table after the Bulk data load method.
> >
> > So, I want to know the exact reason what's the issue with COPY.
> > How exactly they differ? The only thing from the document I could
> identify
> > was row security.
> > But it did not mention anything about indexing. Like, in Bulk load, do
> > indices(or constraint checks) are created with data loading?
> > & in COPY it's done after? so when indices are being created that query
> > slows down??
> 
> *Added details*
> 
> "Table & Query details"
> I have 1 Table is there having 3 attributes:
> TableName{ Column1 Varchar300,  Column2 Varchar300,  Column3 Varchar300};
> I haven't created any primary keys or FKs. No other constraints.
> 
> Data set size: 150MB / 1M records
> 
> Queries:
> Select count(*) from Table;
> Select count(distinct( Column1, Column2 , Column3 )) from Table;
> Select Column1, Column2, Column3 from Table as T1, Table as T2,  Table as T3
> where T1. Column1=T2.Column3 and T1. Column1="xyz";
> 
> Please let me know, how Bulk load vs. COPY different in both situations
> 1) Do the internal representation differs after data is loaded using Bulk
> vs. COPY?
> 2) what if I have added Keys and Constraints, are they checked later? Means
> loading is shown completed but in background it's creating indices/checking
> constraints.
> 3) Can it be the reason that some other process(which?) is running in
> background during query execution ? as I query the data as soon as the load
> after COPY is complete.


-- 
  Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        http://momjian.us
  EnterpriseDB                             http://enterprisedb.com

+ As you are, so once was I.  As I am, so you will be. +
+                      Ancient Roman grave inscription +