# GeoStore Core Concepts

The GeoStore is a spatial database builder. With the GeoStore, you can store your data, index it, and search it.

## Link Indexing Back to Top

Indexes are key to GeoStore performance. The GeoStore uses indexes to look up potential candidates during a search.

### Link Geospatial Indexes Back to Top

Each GeoStore instance requires a Geospatial index (like RTree). These indexes allow for a quick search of possible data that could be `within` or `contain` the polygon that you pass in to the GeoStore for a search. It is then later up to math to determine whether the correct data is found.

### Link Alternate Indexes Back to Top

A GeoStore can also have one or more alternate indexes associated with it. These allow for other properties of a Feature to be indexed, such as `Crime` or `Year` in order to quickly remove the data from being checked with math.

## Link Storing of the Data Back to Top

Data in a GeoStore can be stored in multiple ways. These Stores can be local, a database, or remote. As long as they conform to the data store model, it does not matter how or where the data is stored.