Also called: Path, path node, candidate plan
In plain English
A Path is one candidate way to produce a result for a table or join — a sequential scan, an index scan, a hash join — annotated with a cost estimate but not the full execution detail. The planner">optimizer generates many Paths and compares them cheaply before committing to one.
Why it matters
Paths are the optimizer’s scratch pad. Knowing they exist explains why planning can consider dozens of strategies quickly: a Path is light enough to throw away. Only the winning Path is turned into a full plan, which is what EXPLAIN shows.