---
title: Why Your Database Queries Stink
osem_url: https://osem.seagl.org/conferences/seagl2016/program/proposals/115
beginning: '2016-11-11T14:00:00.000-08:00'
end: '2016-11-11T15:00:00.000-08:00'
presenters:
- name: Dave Stokes
  affiliation: Oracle -- MySQL Community Team
  osem_url: https://osem.seagl.org/users/310
  gravatar_id: c0fe36ac77bf9a0ebe01f0b7844c8e7f
  biography: |-
    Dave Stokes is a MySQL Community Manager for Oracle.  Previously he was the MySQL Certification Manager for MySQL AB and SUN.  He has worked for companies ranging alphabetically from the American Heart Association to Xerox and work ranging from Anti-submarine warfare to web developer.  And he really wonders how many people really, really read these conference biographies. Twitter = @ Stoker, blog = <https://elephantdolphin.blogspot.com/>

    He lives in Texas and has the mandated pickup truck, hound dog, and Stetson hat.
---

Roughly 2% of developers have any training in Structured Query Language but are mystified why their database queries do not perform.  They get stuck with the N+1 problem, denormalize their data, add object relational mappers that add layers of complexity, move to NoSQL system that do not scale or allow complex logical searchers, and end up frustrated.  This sessions covers how to use Venn Diagrams to develop joins, how to efficiently think in sets, how to use the database to do the heavy lifting, the smart use of indexing, how query plans are developed, query re-write plugins, and more.  If you use a relational database to store data and are not 100% confident in your queries you need to be in this session.
