Backend
Zero-Downtime Postgres Migrations with NOT VALID
Learn how to safely add Foreign Keys and CHECK constraints to massive PostgreSQL tables without lock pileups using NOT VALID and VALIDATE CONSTRAINT.
Topic
PostgreSQL
A collection of essays to explore, one idea at a time.
Essays
Newest first
Backend Engineering
Why Postgres SKIP LOCKED Eliminates the Message Broker Tax
Learn how PostgreSQL's FOR UPDATE SKIP LOCKED builds transaction-safe background queues without Redis, RabbitMQ, or dual-write headaches.
Backend Development
Preventing Overlapping Bookings with PostgreSQL Exclusion Constraints
Stop race conditions and double bookings permanently by leveraging PostgreSQL range types and GiST exclusion constraints at the database level.
Architecture
Why UUIDv7 Beats UUIDv4 for Database Primary Keys
Learn how UUIDv7 fixes B-tree index fragmentation, cuts write amplification, and keeps distributed ID generation fast in modern databases.
Database
Zero-Downtime Database Migrations with Expand and Contract
Learn how the Expand and Contract pattern prevents production outages when renaming or restructuring database columns in continuous deployment environments.
API Design
Designing Idempotent APIs Without Race Conditions
Learn how to build robust HTTP idempotency using atomic state machines, payload hashing, and database-backed locks.
Architecture
Postgres SKIP LOCKED: The Lean Job Queue You Already Have
Build high-throughput background queues in PostgreSQL using FOR UPDATE SKIP LOCKED without adding Redis or RabbitMQ infrastructure.
Backend
Stop Running EXPLAIN ANALYZE Without BUFFERS
Execution time in PostgreSQL query plans can be deeply misleading. Here is why buffer metrics reveal the true I/O footprint of your queries.
Database
Why Smaller Database Connection Pools Run Faster
Learn why oversizing PostgreSQL connection pools degrades throughput and how the hardware-aligned sizing formula accelerates production databases.