database-fundamentalslisted

# Database Fundamentals Review > "Your database is the foundation. Build it wrong, and everything above it will crack." ## When to Apply Activate this skill when reviewing: - Schema design and migrations - SQL/NoSQL queries - ORM model definitions - Data relationships - Index creation - Query performance --- ## Review Checklist ### Schema Design - [ ] **Normalization**: Is data normalized appropriately (no excessive duplication)? - [ ] **Denormalization justified**: If denormalized, is there a performance reason? - [ ] **Primary keys**: Does every table have a clear primary key? - [ ] **Foreign keys**: Are relationships enforced at the database level? - [ ] **Data types**: Are appropriate types used (not everything TEXT)? ### Indexes - [ ] **Query-based**: Are indexes created for frequently queried columns? - [ ] **Composite indexes**: Are multi-column queries covered? - [ ] **Not over-indexed**: Are there unnecessary indexes slowing writes? - [ ] **Unique constraints**: Are unique fields enforced at DB level? ### Queries - [ ] **No N+1**: Are related records fetched in bulk? - [ ] **Select specific fields**: Are we avoiding `SELECT *`? - [ ] **Pagination**: Do list queries limit results? - [ ] **Parameterized**: Are all queries parameterized (no string concatenation)? ### Migrations - [ ] **Reversible**: Can this migration be rolled back? - [ ] **No data loss**: Will existing data survive the migration? - [ ] **Tested**: Has this been tested against production-l