Diagnose database latency with explain plans, index ownership, and query-shape review. Use when a query is slow, an index is missing, or scans and N+1 patterns appear.
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---
name: database-query-performance
description: Diagnose database latency with explain plans, index ownership, and query-shape review. Use when a query is slow, an index is missing, or scans and N+1 patterns appear.
metadata:
triggers:
files:
- '**/*.sql'
- '**/*.entity.ts'
- 'prisma/schema.prisma'
keywords:
- slow query
- explain
- index
- scan
- n+1
---
# Database Query Performance
## **Priority: P0 (CRITICAL)**
Slow query work starts with the query shape and evidence, not with random index creation.
## Rules
- Capture the exact query, parameters, and access path.
- Run explain or equivalent plan inspection before adding indexes.
- Match indexes to filter, join, sort, and coverage needs.
- Fix N+1 at the query pattern or loading strategy, not by caching first.
## Verify
- [ ] Explain plan was reviewed.
- [ ] Proposed index maps to a named query path.
- [ ] Write cost of the index is acceptable.
- [ ] Pagination or batch loading avoids deep scans or N+1 loops.
## Anti-Patterns
- **No blind indexes**: every index needs a query owner.
- **No cache-first latency fix**: fix query shape before hiding it.
- **No ORM opacity**: inspect generated SQL when the ORM is involved.
## References
- [Framework Map](../references/framework-map.md)
- [Index Strategies](references/index-strategies.md)
