Overview
The database-design skill provides comprehensive guidance on database architecture, helping you make informed decisions about database selection, schema design, indexing strategies, and ORM choices. This skill emphasizes understanding principles over copying patterns.What This Skill Provides
- Database Selection Guidance: Choose between PostgreSQL, Neon, Turso, SQLite based on context
- Schema Design Principles: Normalization, primary keys, relationships, and data modeling
- Indexing Strategy: Index types, composite indexes, and performance optimization
- ORM Selection: Compare Drizzle, Prisma, and Kysely for your use case
- Query Optimization: Address N+1 queries, use EXPLAIN ANALYZE effectively
- Migration Management: Safe schema changes for serverless and traditional databases
Key Components
Reference Files
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
database-selection.md | PostgreSQL vs Neon vs Turso vs SQLite comparison |
orm-selection.md | Drizzle vs Prisma vs Kysely decision guide |
schema-design.md | Normalization, PKs, relationships |
indexing.md | Index types, composite indexes |
optimization.md | N+1 queries, EXPLAIN ANALYZE |
migrations.md | Safe migrations for serverless databases |
Core Principles
- Context-Driven Decisions: Always ask about database preferences when unclear
- No Default Assumptions: Don’t default to PostgreSQL for every project
- Environment Awareness: Consider deployment environment in decision-making
- Performance First: Plan index strategy from the start
Use Cases
When to Use This Skill
- Designing a new database schema for an application
- Choosing between different database systems
- Optimizing slow queries and addressing N+1 problems
- Selecting an ORM or query builder
- Planning migration strategies
- Implementing indexing for performance
Example Scenarios
- Schema Design: “Design a multi-tenant SaaS database schema”
- Database Selection: “Should I use PostgreSQL or SQLite for this project?”
- Performance: “My API is slow - help optimize the database queries”
- Migrations: “How do I safely migrate this schema in production?”
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
- ❌ Defaulting to PostgreSQL for simple apps (SQLite may suffice)
- ❌ Skipping indexing strategy during initial design
- ❌ Using
SELECT *in production queries - ❌ Storing JSON when structured data is more appropriate
- ❌ Ignoring N+1 query problems
Related Skills
- api-patterns: Database integration with API design
- nodejs-best-practices: Node.js database connection patterns
- python-patterns: Python database best practices
- performance-profiling: Database performance analysis
Which Agents Use This Skill
- database-architect: Primary user of this skill
- backend-specialist: Uses for API and database integration
Decision Checklist
Before designing a schema:- Asked user about database preference?
- Chosen database appropriate for the context?
- Considered deployment environment?
- Planned index strategy?
- Defined relationship types?
Tools Available
- Read, Write, Edit: For working with schema files
- Glob, Grep: For searching existing database code
Philosophy: Learn to THINK about database design, not copy SQL patterns. Every decision should be driven by the specific requirements and constraints of your application.