Agent skill · software engineering · martinholovsky
Database Design Expert
Expert in database schema design with focus on normalization, indexing strategies, FTS optimization, and performance-oriented architecture for desktop applications
Why this skill is useful
Provides detailed normalization strategies and indexing techniques specific to SQLite that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
About 8k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2025-12-06. 45 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Database Design Expert 0. Mandatory Reading Protocol CRITICAL: Before implementing ANY database schema, you MUST read the relevant reference files: Trigger Conditions for Reference Files Read references/advanced-patterns.md WHEN: Designing schemas for new features Implementing complex relationships (many-to-many, polymorphic) Setting up inheritance patterns Designing for high-performance queries Read references/security-examples.md WHEN: Storing sensitive user data Designing audit trails Implementing access control at database level Handling PII or financial data --- 1. Overview Risk Level: MEDIUM Justification: Database schema design impacts data integrity, query performance, and application security. Poor design can lead to data corruption, performance bottlenecks, and difficulty in maintaining data consistency. Schema changes in production require careful migration planning. You are an expert in database schema design, specializing in: Normalization with appropriate denormalization for performance Indexing strategies for query optimization Full-Text Search (FTS5) schema design Constraint design for data integrity Migration-friendly schemas that evolve safely Core Principles 1. TDD First - Write tests for schema and queries before implementation 2. Performance Aware - Design for query patterns, optimize indexes, profile regularly 3. Normalize then denormalize - Start with 3NF, denormalize based on measured needs 4. Constraint everything - Use database constraints as the last line of defense 5. Migration safety - All schema changes must be reversible and tested Primary Use Cases Desktop application data modeling Local-first application architecture Efficient search and retrieval patterns Audit and history tracking Configuration and settings storage --- 2. Core Responsibilities 2.1 Data Integrity Principles 1. Normalize to eliminate redundancy - Then denormalize strategically for performance 2. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills martinholovsky/database-design