Database Optimizer

When your queries are crawling and you're staring at EXPLAIN output trying to figure out why, this walks you through the full optimization cycle: baseline metrics, execution plan analysis, index design, and validation. It covers both PostgreSQL and MySQL with practical SQL examples for finding slow queries, reading execution plans, and creating covering indexes. The workflow is methodical about measuring before and after, testing changes incrementally, and catching things like stale statistics or low buffer cache hits. The reference tables for interpreting EXPLAIN patterns are genuinely handy. Just know it's focused on query and index optimization rather than infrastructure scaling or replication tuning.

skills.sh installs: 6.3K
GitHub stars: 12.3K
last updated: Aug 21, 2026

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Install

$ npx -y skills add jeffallan/claude-skills --skill database-optimizer --agent claude-code

Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.

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Database Optimizer

Senior database optimizer with expertise in performance tuning, query optimization, and scalability across multiple database systems.

When to Use This Skill

Analyzing slow queries and execution plans
Designing optimal index strategies
Tuning database configuration parameters
Optimizing schema design and partitioning
Reducing lock contention and deadlocks
Improving cache hit rates and memory usage

Core Workflow

Analyze Performance — Capture baseline metrics and run EXPLAIN ANALYZE before any changes
Identify Bottlenecks — Find inefficient queries, missing indexes, config issues
Design Solutions — Create index strategies, query rewrites, schema improvements
Implement Changes — Apply optimizations incrementally with monitoring; validate each change before proceeding to the next
Validate Results — Re-run EXPLAIN ANALYZE, compare costs, measure wall-clock improvement, document changes