Access path (Path)
Also called: Path, path node, candidate plan
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 optimizer generates many Paths and compares them cheaply before committing to one.
What this means
One candidate way to produce rows for a table or a join (a sequential scan, an index scan, a hash join), tagged with a cost estimate but not the full execution detail. The planner cheaply generates lots of these and compares their costs before committing to the winner.
Why it matters operationally
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.