Course overview
In this course, you’ll learn how to write database descriptions. You’ll discover how to manage meta information about databases and tables by using PostgreSQL Internals. You’ll also learn how to debug your PostgreSQL queries using the EXPLAIN clause.
You’ll learn how to measure estimated and actual execution times of your queries and determine which SQL clause is the most computationally expensive to perform, as well as the biggest cause for long-running queries. You’ll learn concepts such as indexing and how it can greatly reduce querying speed.
You’ll also learn what it means to vacuum a PostgreSQL database, how it reduces query speeds, and how to vacuum a database, as well as what ACID means for database transactions and why it’s important for transaction blocks.
Best of all, you’ll learn by doing — you’ll practice and get feedback directly in the browser.
Key skills
- Applying the fundamentals of PostgreSQL’'s internal tooling
- Debugging PostgreSQL queries and finding bottlenecks
- Using indices to optimize PostgreSQL queries
Course outline
Optimizing PostgreSQL Databases [5 lessons]
Exploring Postgres Internals 2h
Lesson Objectives- Manage meta information about databases and tables using Postgres
- Define a Postgres schema
- Create a description of a database
Debugging Postgres Queries 1h
Lesson Objectives- How to debug Postgres queries
- How to measure estimated and actual execution times
Using an Index 1h
Lesson Objectives- Speed up common queries using an index
- Build an index table
- Measure query speeds
Advanced Indexing 1h
Lesson Objectives- Create a multiple column index
- Identify different types of indexes
- Order your index columns
Vacuuming Postgres Databases 1h
Lesson Objectives- Define a database vacuum
- Define a transaction block
- Define ACID for database transactions
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Learning resources
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