postgresql

PostgreSQL Table Design

Use this skill when

• Designing a schema for PostgreSQL
• Selecting data types and constraints
• Planning indexes, partitions, or RLS policies
• Reviewing tables for scale and maintainability

Do not use this skill when

• You are targeting a non-PostgreSQL database
• You only need query tuning without schema changes
• You require a DB-agnostic modeling guide

Instructions

1. Capture entities, access patterns, and scale targets (rows, QPS, retention).
2. Choose data types and constraints that enforce invariants.
3. Add indexes for real query paths and validate with EXPLAIN.
4. Plan partitioning or RLS where required by scale or access control.
5. Review migration impact and apply changes safely.

Safety

• Avoid destructive DDL on production without backups and a rollback plan.
• Use migrations and staging validation before applying schema changes.

Core Rules

• Define a PRIMARY KEY for reference tables (users, orders, etc.). Not always needed for time-series/event/log data. When used, prefer BIGINT GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY; use UUID only when global uniqueness/opacity is needed.
• Normalize first (to 3NF) to eliminate data redundancy and update anomalies; denormalize only for measured, high-ROI reads where join performance is proven problematic. Premature denormalization creates maintenance burden.
• Add **NO