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name: database-patterns description: This skill should be used for database schema design, indexes, query optimization, migrations, SQL, PostgreSQL, MySQL, ORM patterns, data modeling, database relationships whenToUse: Database schema, indexes, SQL performance, data modeling, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, ORM design, Prisma, TypeORM, SQLAlchemy, database relationships whenNotToUse: Simple CRUD, established schemas, NoSQL-only projects seeAlso:

• skill: api-design when: designing data-backed APIs
• skill: architecture-patterns when: data layer architecture

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Database Patterns

Database design and optimization patterns.

Schema Design

• Use appropriate data types
• Add NOT NULL where applicable
• Use foreign keys for relationships
• Index frequently queried columns

Indexing

-- Single column
CREATE INDEX idx_users_email ON users(email);

-- Composite (order matters)
CREATE INDEX idx_orders_user_date ON orders(user_id, created_at);

Query Optimization

N+1 Problem

-- Bad: N+1 queries
SELECT * FROM users;
SELECT * FROM orders WHERE user_id = 1;
SELECT * FROM orders WHERE user_id = 2;
...

-- Good: JOIN or eager load
SELECT u.*, o.* FROM users u
LEFT JOIN orders o ON o.user_id = u.id;

Migrations

• One migration per change
• Up and down migrations
• Never modify deployed migrations
• Test rollback

Connection Pooling

• Reuse connections
• Set appropriate pool size
• Handle connection timeouts