Many performance problems are really schema and query problems. I design tables around the real relationships, add foreign keys and constraints so bad data can't get in, and index the columns that are actually queried, then check the execution plan rather than trusting the ORM to do the right thing.
That also covers messy real-world work: untangling legacy tables, writing safe migrations, cleaning up bloated WordPress options tables and diagnosing slow queries on production servers.
What you get
- Relational schema and relationship design
- Indexes and foreign keys aligned with real queries
- Reading EXPLAIN plans and rewriting slow queries
- Transactions and locking for data integrity
- Safe migrations and legacy data restructuring
- MySQL and PostgreSQL experience
Frequently asked questions
Can you speed up slow queries?
Usually, yes. I look at the query, the indexes and the execution plan, and fix the cause rather than adding caching on top of a bad query.
Do you work with PostgreSQL as well as MySQL?
Yes. My MySQL work is in production at Technyx and my public my-store project uses PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM.
Can you redesign a schema without downtime?
Often. I plan migrations in safe steps and test them on a copy of the data before touching production.
Do you set up backups or hosting?
My focus is schema, queries and the application. I can advise on backups and server configuration as part of a project.
