Question 1

SQL or NoSQL for my startup?

Accepted Answer

SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL) for most applications—structured data, relationships, and ACID transactions. NoSQL (MongoDB) for document-oriented data or very flexible schemas. When in doubt, start with PostgreSQL—it handles almost everything well.

Question 2

Supabase, PlanetScale, or Firebase?

Accepted Answer

Supabase is PostgreSQL with a great developer experience and built-in auth. PlanetScale is serverless MySQL with powerful branching. Firebase is NoSQL with real-time sync. Supabase is the popular default for new startups.

Question 3

What is a managed database?

Accepted Answer

The provider handles servers, backups, updates, and scaling. You just use the database. Self-hosting means managing all that yourself. For startups, managed databases save time and reduce risk—worth the cost.

Question 4

How much does managed database hosting cost?

Accepted Answer

Most services offer free tiers sufficient for development and early production. Supabase, PlanetScale, and Neon all have generous free plans. Paid plans start around $25/month and scale with usage.

Question 5

What is PostgreSQL and why is it popular?

Accepted Answer

PostgreSQL is a powerful open-source relational database. It handles complex queries, JSON data, full-text search, and scales well. The ecosystem is mature with excellent tooling. It's the safe default for most applications.

Question 6

What is serverless database?

Accepted Answer

Databases that scale to zero when idle and auto-scale with demand. You pay for actual usage, not always-on servers. Neon, PlanetScale, and Supabase offer serverless options. Great for variable workloads and cost control.

Question 7

How do I back up my database?

Accepted Answer

Managed services handle automated backups—daily snapshots typically retained for 7-30 days. Point-in-time recovery lets you restore to any moment. Verify you understand your provider's backup policy and test restores occasionally.

Question 8

What is database branching?

Accepted Answer

Creating isolated copies of your database for development or testing, like Git branches for code. PlanetScale pioneered this for databases. Enables safe schema changes and realistic testing without affecting production.

Question 9

How do I handle database migrations?

Accepted Answer

Use migration tools to version control schema changes. Prisma, Drizzle, and framework-specific tools manage migrations. Never modify production schemas manually. Test migrations on branches or staging first.

Question 10

What is an ORM and should I use one?

Accepted Answer

Object-Relational Mappers let you interact with databases using your programming language instead of SQL. Prisma and Drizzle are popular choices. ORMs speed development but learn some SQL too—you'll need it for complex queries.

Question 11

How do I connect my app to the database?

Accepted Answer

Use connection strings (URLs) with credentials. Store these in environment variables, never in code. Connection pooling (built into most clients) handles multiple concurrent connections efficiently.

Question 12

What about database performance?

Accepted Answer

Start simple—premature optimization wastes time. Add indexes for slow queries. Use query explain plans to understand performance. Managed databases handle most tuning. Optimize when you have actual performance data.

Question 13

Should I use connection pooling?

Accepted Answer

Yes, especially for serverless environments where connections are created frequently. Supabase and PlanetScale include pooling. For others, use PgBouncer or similar. Pooling prevents connection limit issues.

Question 14

What is edge database?

Accepted Answer

Databases distributed to edge locations for lower latency globally. Turso and some PlanetScale regions offer this. Important for global apps where latency matters. Most startups don't need edge initially.

Question 15

How do I handle database security?

Accepted Answer

Use strong passwords, rotate credentials periodically, restrict network access, enable SSL connections, and follow least-privilege principles. Managed databases handle much of this, but understand your security model.

Question 16

Can I switch databases later?

Accepted Answer

Possible but painful. Switching SQL databases (PostgreSQL to MySQL) requires migration work. Switching SQL to NoSQL is harder. Choose carefully initially, but don't overthink—PostgreSQL handles most needs.

Question 17

What is Redis and when do I need it?

Accepted Answer

Redis is an in-memory data store for caching, sessions, and real-time features. You need it when database queries become a bottleneck or you need sub-millisecond access. Upstash offers serverless Redis.

Question 18

How do I monitor database performance?

Accepted Answer

Managed platforms provide dashboards with query metrics, connection counts, and resource usage. Set up alerts for high usage. Tools like Datadog add deeper observability. Monitor before you have performance problems.

I need a database for my application

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