Full Stack 38:452025-11-05
PostgreSQL for Node.js Developers: Stop Using MongoDB
Why PostgreSQL is the right choice for most applications, with practical examples of queries, indexes, and connection pooling that will make your app faster and more reliable.
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Video Notes & Code
Key takeaways, code snippets, and resources from this video.
Setting Up Neon Serverless Postgres
typescript
import { neon } from '@neondatabase/serverless'
const sql = neon(process.env.DATABASE_URL!)
// Parameterized queries prevent SQL injection
const user = await sql`SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ${userId}`
Essential Indexes
sql
-- Always index foreign keys
CREATE INDEX idx_orders_user_id ON orders(user_id);
-- Partial index for soft deletes
CREATE INDEX idx_active_users ON users(email) WHERE deleted_at IS NULL;
-- Composite index for common query patterns
CREATE INDEX idx_orders_status_date ON orders(status, created_at DESC);Connection Pooling with PgBouncer
On serverless deployments (Vercel, Lambda), each invocation opens a new DB connection. Without pooling, you will exhaust your connection limit fast. Use PgBouncer in transaction mode or Neon's built-in pooler.
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