Database Optimization
Faster pages and reports, starting with the queries behind them
Database Optimization
When pages, reports or searches slow down as your data grows, the cause is usually a small number of queries: a missing index, a report that reads a whole table, or code that runs one query per row instead of one for the list. We measure where the time goes, fix the queries, indexes and schema behind it, and add caching where the same data is read again and again. We work with MySQL, PostgreSQL and MongoDB, and with the Laravel or Node.js code that sends the queries, since that is often where the fix belongs.
What We Deliver
What's included in Database Optimization.
Slow query review
We turn on the slow query log or its equivalent, rank queries by the total time they take, and start with the worst.
Indexes
Indexes added, merged or removed based on how your data is actually read, without slowing inserts and updates more than needed.
Schema fixes
Better column types, missing keys and, for very large tables, partitioning, with migrations tested on a copy first.
Caching
Redis caching for data that is read often and changes rarely, and read replicas when one database server is no longer enough.
Server settings
Memory, connection and cache settings matched to your workload on a VPS or managed cloud database. On shared hosting, where these are fixed, we focus on queries and indexes.
Monitoring
Alerts on slow queries, locks and disk space, so a new slowdown is noticed early.
Our Process
How the work runs, step by step.
Measure
We record how long the slow pages, reports and queries take today, so there is a baseline to compare against.
Find the cause
Query plans, the slow query log and the application code show which queries, indexes or tables are behind the delay.
Fix on a copy
Changes are made and tested on a copy of the database with realistic data before they reach the live server.
Release
We apply the changes at a quiet time, with a backup and a way to roll back ready.
Measure again
We compare the new timings with the baseline, write down what was changed, and set up alerts for future slowdowns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Database Optimization.
It depends on the cause. A missing index on a large table can make one query many times faster, while a server that is simply too small gains less from tuning. We measure before and after, so you see the actual difference on your own data.
Most changes, such as new indexes and query rewrites, can be applied while the site is running. Changes to large tables can lock them for a while, so we test them on a copy first and schedule them with you for a quiet time.
Sometimes, but it is worth checking the queries first. A bigger server costs more every month, while a fixed query stays fixed. If your data has genuinely outgrown the server, we will tell you.
MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, MongoDB and Redis. Many slowdowns start in the application code that builds the queries, so we work on the Laravel or Node.js side as well.
Access to the database, ideally a copy or a read-only login to begin with, plus a list of the pages or reports that feel slow and when they are slowest.
Other Backend & APIs services
- REST API Development REST APIs built in Laravel or Node.js for your website, mobile app or partner integrations, with documentation your developers can work from.
- GraphQL API GraphQL APIs in Node.js or Laravel that let web and mobile apps fetch the fields they need in one request, built new or added to an existing backend.
- Microservices Architecture Splitting a large application into separate services where it helps, using Docker, Kubernetes and message queues, and keeping it whole where it does not.
Is your site or software slowing down?
Tell us which pages or reports are slow and roughly how much data you have, and we will suggest where to start.