SQL: What Not to Do
SQL anti-patterns and pitfalls for developers: practical insights into identifying and avoiding common mistakes in modelling, querying, and transaction handling.
Upcoming dates
Dates are being finalised — email us and we'll let you know the moment registration opens.
What you'll learn
You'll learn from real-world examples of anti-patterns that quietly degrade performance, compromise data integrity, and lead to long-term technical debt. The goal is simple: to help you build PostgreSQL applications that are cleaner, faster, and more reliable.
The course covers
- Bad modelling practices — key-value structures in a relational system, multi-value fields, over-wide tables, skipped normalisation
- Misuse of SQL features — NULL logic, implicit column order, procedural logic in declarative SQL
- Ignoring atomicity and constraints — missing NOT NULL, UNIQUE, FOREIGN KEY validation
- Inefficient queries — subquery and CTE overuse, poor indexing and pagination, over-wide SELECTs
- Poor transaction management — timing, locking and deadlocks, concurrency and isolation levels
Prerequisites
Designed for developers working with PostgreSQL — especially in teams without a dedicated DBA. Working SQL knowledge assumed.
For details see the course terms & conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Who is this session for?
Developers working with PostgreSQL in application code — especially in teams without a dedicated DBA. It focuses on the mistakes that look reasonable in application code and backfire in production.
Do I need my own PostgreSQL environment?
No. You need a computer with a stable internet connection and the latest version of Zoom. All demonstrations run on the instructor's environment.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes — a certificate of attendance naming the session.
Is the session recorded?
No. The session is live and interactive, with direct Q&A. It is not recorded.
Is this part of a bigger programme?
Yes — it is one of the seven sessions of the High Performance SQL with Postgres track, and can be taken alone or as part of the full track.
Instructor
Over 20 years of industry experience, with extensive expertise in supporting clients on their PostgreSQL journey and achieving high availability for business-critical projects.
Ready to book?
Live, small-group, taught by the people who run PostgreSQL in production. Questions first? Write to us — no sales pitch.