---
name: database-design-cf18e9b739cb
description: "Database design principles and decision-making. Schema design, indexing strategy, ORM selection, serverless databases."
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep
risk: unknown
source: rootcastle-rei
---

# Database Design

> **Learn to THINK, not copy SQL patterns.**

## 🎯 Selective Reading Rule

**Read ONLY files relevant to the request!** Check the content map, find what you need.

| File | Description | When to Read |
|------|-------------|--------------|
| `database-selection.md` | PostgreSQL vs Neon vs Turso vs SQLite | Choosing database |
| `orm-selection.md` | Drizzle vs Prisma vs Kysely | Choosing ORM |
| `schema-design.md` | Normalization, PKs, relationships | Designing schema |
| `indexing.md` | Index types, composite indexes | Performance tuning |
| `optimization.md` | N+1, EXPLAIN ANALYZE | Query optimization |
| `migrations.md` | Safe migrations, serverless DBs | Schema changes |

---

## ⚠️ Core Principle

- ASK user for database preferences when unclear
- Choose database/ORM based on CONTEXT
- Don't default to PostgreSQL for everything

---

## Decision Checklist

Before designing schema:

- [ ] Asked user about database preference?
- [ ] Chosen database for THIS context?
- [ ] Considered deployment environment?
- [ ] Planned index strategy?
- [ ] Defined relationship types?

---

## Anti-Patterns

❌ Default to PostgreSQL for simple apps (SQLite may suffice)
❌ Skip indexing
❌ Use SELECT * in production
❌ Store JSON when structured data is better
❌ Ignore N+1 queries

## When to Use
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

---

> 🏰 **Rei Skills** — Curated by [Rootcastle Engineering & Innovation](https://www.rootcastle.com) | Batuhan Ayrıbaş  
> Engineering Beyond Boundaries | admin@rootcastle.com


---
Source attribution: rootcastleco
Original project: https://github.com/rootcastleco/rei-skills/blob/6c114a9825475168e93271fae4da0476c612dc1c/skills/database-design/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 Batuhan Ayrıbaş / Rootcastle Engineering & Innovation (REI)
Website: https://www.rootcastle.com
Contact: admin@rootcastle.com

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: rootcastleco
Original project: https://github.com/rootcastleco/rei-skills/blob/6c114a9825475168e93271fae4da0476c612dc1c/skills/database-design/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Development & Engineering, Product Management
Roles: Backend Developer, Data Engineer, Database Administrator, ML / AI Engineer, Product Manager
Specialties: Database
Tools: MongoDB, MySQL, Neon, Turso, PostgreSQL, SQLite
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 1e1e0c6a6101491bf793b0a6e62eac50b36176bde55e87048e2bf20eb5972a0c