Large engineering teams at top internet companies maintain clean, efficient databases through strict conventions. This guide distills those practices into actionable rules: clear table naming, consistent field types, proper index design, and SQL query optimization. For example, tables should have a primary key, avoid reserved words, and use appropriate data types to save space. Indexes should be built on columns used in WHERE and JOIN clauses, but over-indexing hurts write performance. SQL queries should avoid SELECT *, use LIMIT for pagination, and leverage EXPLAIN to analyze execution plans. These standards reduce maintenance overhead, improve query speed, and make collaboration easier across hundreds of developers. Adopting them early can prevent costly refactors later.
A practical guide to database conventions from top Chinese internet firms, covering table design, naming, indexing, and SQL optimization.