Step 1 • Foundations
SQL Fundamentals and Querying beginner Start with SELECT, filtering, ordering, grouping, aggregates, and joins — the foundation for every PostgreSQL task.
8h Step 2 • Foundations
Schema Design, Constraints, and Normalization beginner Model trustworthy data with tables, primary and foreign keys, unique constraints, check constraints, and normalization before thinking about optimization.
8h Step 3 • Foundations
PostgreSQL Data Types and Type System beginner Know when to use varchar vs text, numeric vs float, timestamptz vs timestamp, UUID, and enum types to avoid subtle bugs and improve storage efficiency.
6h Step 4 • Consistency
Transactions, ACID, and Isolation Levels intermediate Understand ACID guarantees, read committed vs repeatable read vs serializable isolation, locking behavior, and how concurrency affects data correctness.
10h Step 5 • Consistency
Indexes, Access Paths, and Performance intermediate Understand B-tree, Hash, GIN, GiST, BRIN, partial, composite, and expression indexes and when each one improves or harms performance.
8h Step 6 • Performance
Query Planning, EXPLAIN, and Statistics intermediate Read EXPLAIN ANALYZE output, understand join strategies, cost estimates, and how table statistics affect plan selection.
8h Step 7 • Performance
CTEs, Window Functions, and Advanced SQL intermediate Write advanced analytics and reporting queries using CTEs, recursive queries, window functions, and set operations instead of defaulting to application-side processing.
10h Step 8 • Modeling
JSONB, Arrays, and Semi-structured Data intermediate Use JSONB for flexible metadata, arrays for multi-value attributes, and understand GIN indexing so semi-structured data stays queryable.
8h Step 9 • Modeling
Full-Text Search and Pattern Matching intermediate Implement ranked document search with tsvectors, tsqueries, GIN indexes, and custom text search configurations without reaching for a dedicated search engine.
8h Step 10 • Advanced
Functions, Stored Procedures, and Triggers advanced Know when database-side logic (PL/pgSQL functions, triggers, generated columns) helps maintainability and when it adds hidden coupling.
8h Step 11 • Advanced
Row Level Security and Multi-tenant Access Control advanced Enforce tenant and user isolation at the database level with RLS policies so application bugs cannot accidentally expose another tenant's data.
8h Step 12 • Operations
Safe Migrations and Schema Change Management advanced Apply schema changes without downtime using expand-contract migrations, concurrent index builds, column additions, and data backfills with rollback plans.
8h Step 13 • Operations
Backups, PITR, and Replication advanced Implement logical backups with pg_dump, WAL archiving for point-in-time recovery, and streaming replication for read replicas and failover.
10h Step 14 • Operations
Connection Pooling with PgBouncer advanced Understand connection overhead, configure PgBouncer in transaction pooling mode, and monitor connection saturation to prevent the most common PostgreSQL scalability bottleneck.
6h Step 15 • Ship It
Monitoring, Vacuuming, and Production Hygiene advanced Track slow queries with pg_stat_statements, monitor vacuum health, detect table bloat, and use pg_activity and Prometheus exporters to keep the database operable in production.
8h 