1. In a database system comprising database tables and indexes on those tables, an improved method for creating an index based on a path-compressed binary trie, the method comprising: for a given index to be created, determining a path-compressed binary trie for the given index, said path-compressed binary trie comprising internal nodes and leaf nodes; based on a traversal of said path-compressed binary trie, creating an index comprising: a first array of internal nodes encountered during the traversal, and a second array of leaf nodes encountered during the traversal; and wherein said system employs said first and second arrays for providing index-based access for a given key value.