DynamoDB single-table design patterns, schema guides, and expert schema reviews.https://singletable.dev/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-on-demand-vs-provisioned/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-on-demand-vs-provisioned/AWS makes on-demand sound effortless and provisioned sound risky. The pricing tells a different story. Here's the actual break-even math, the operational trade-offs, and when each is the right call.Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-idempotency-keys/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-idempotency-keys/Stripe-style idempotency keys, implemented correctly with DynamoDB. The pattern, the failure modes, and how to combine the idempotency record with the actual write.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-pagination/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-pagination/LastEvaluatedKey is opaque, queries can return empty pages with more data behind them, and exposing the raw token to clients leaks your schema. The full pagination playbook.Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-transactions-vs-conditional/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-transactions-vs-conditional/Conditional writes give you single-item atomicity for free. Transactions give you multi-item atomicity at 2x the cost. Knowing which one to reach for is half the battle.Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-streams-fanout-cdc/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-streams-fanout-cdc/Streams turn DynamoDB into a source of truth for everything else. Three patterns - fan-out, change data capture, and read-model projections - that should be in every DynamoDB engineer's toolkit.Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-notifications-inbox/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-notifications-inbox/How to model a notification inbox in DynamoDB. Unread counts, sparse index for filtering, fan-out delivery, and mark-all-read without a full table scan.Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-hierarchical-data/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-hierarchical-data/How to model trees, category hierarchies, and org charts in DynamoDB. Adjacency list for parent-child traversal, materialized path for subtree queries.Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-graphql-resolvers/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-graphql-resolvers/A single-table DynamoDB schema designed for GraphQL APIs - field-level resolvers, DataLoader batching, and avoiding N+1 without giving up on a single-table design.Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-ttl-soft-delete/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-ttl-soft-delete/TTL is more than auto-expiry. Used right, it powers soft deletes, retention windows, and archival flows - for free. Used wrong, it deletes data you needed.Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-composite-sort-key-begins-with/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-composite-sort-key-begins-with/DynamoDB begins_with on a composite sort key fails silently when the key template format doesn't match exactly. Here's what's wrong and how to fix it.Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/electrodb-collection-vs-entity/https://singletable.dev/blog/electrodb-collection-vs-entity/ElectroDB Collections let you query multiple entity types in one DynamoDB call. Here's exactly when to use a collection vs querying entities separately.Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-add-access-pattern-later/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-add-access-pattern-later/Your schema is in production and you need a query you didn't design for. Here's the decision tree: add a GSI, reshape data, or accept the limitation.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-event-sourcing/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-event-sourcing/An append-only event log in DynamoDB - aggregates, events, snapshots, and cross-aggregate event-type queries. Plus the projection patterns that make event sourcing actually usable.Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-hot-partitions-write-sharding/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-hot-partitions-write-sharding/Hot partitions throttle silently until they don't. The fix is write sharding - but only in the right places. Here's where, how, and what it costs.Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-query-without-scan/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-query-without-scan/Every query that avoids a scan uses a partition key. Here's how to design your key structure so every access pattern is a targeted query, not a Scan.Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-too-many-gsis/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-too-many-gsis/Hitting the 20-GSI limit or paying too much for global indexes? Here's how to consolidate, overload, and rethink GSI design in single-table DynamoDB.Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-vs-postgres-chat/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-vs-postgres-chat/Message ordering, pagination, read receipts, and fan-out in chat apps. When DynamoDB beats Postgres and when you should reach for something else entirely.Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-gaming-leaderboard/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-gaming-leaderboard/A DynamoDB schema for game leaderboards - daily, weekly, seasonal, and global - with player stats and session history. Includes the 'when to use Redis instead' tradeoff.Mon, 25 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-sparse-indexes/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-sparse-indexes/A sparse GSI indexes only the items where the key is set. That tiny detail unlocks workflow queues, soft deletes, flagged-content lists, and 'needs attention' dashboards - cheaply.Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-vs-postgres-saas/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-vs-postgres-saas/Multi-tenancy, per-tenant isolation, usage analytics, schema migrations - when DynamoDB beats Postgres for SaaS backends and when it doesn't.Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-many-to-many/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-many-to-many/How to model many-to-many relationships in DynamoDB single-table design. Team membership, user tags, and follower graphs with adjacency lists and GSI inverses.Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-single-table-vs-multi-table/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-single-table-vs-multi-table/When should all your entity types share one DynamoDB table vs live in separate tables? A practical comparison with a decision framework.Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-marketplace/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-marketplace/A complete single-table DynamoDB schema for a two-sided marketplace - buyers, sellers, listings, orders, and mutual reviews. Access patterns, GSIs, and ElectroDB code.Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-gsi-vs-sort-key/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-gsi-vs-sort-key/Most teams reach for a GSI when a new access pattern shows up. Half the time, the cleaner answer is reshaping the sort key. A framework for deciding.Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-analytics-events/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-analytics-events/A production-ready DynamoDB schema for high-volume analytics events with write-sharded ingestion, session aggregation, and TTL-based data lifecycle.Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-workflow-state-machine/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-workflow-state-machine/A production-ready DynamoDB schema for workflow execution with ordered steps, state transitions, and execution history.Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-inventory-management/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-inventory-management/A production-ready DynamoDB schema for inventory management with atomic stock updates, warehouse tracking, and movement history.Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-content-management/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-content-management/A production-ready DynamoDB schema for a headless CMS with articles, authors, categories, tags, and content versioning.Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-cost-optimization/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-cost-optimization/Practical DynamoDB cost optimization - from capacity mode selection to projection tuning - with real cost calculations.Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-booking-scheduling/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-booking-scheduling/A production-ready DynamoDB schema for booking and scheduling with atomic slot reservation, provider availability, and double-booking prevention.Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/electrodb-vs-dynamodb-toolbox/https://singletable.dev/blog/electrodb-vs-dynamodb-toolbox/A practical comparison of the three main DynamoDB ORMs for TypeScript - what each is best at and when to use it.Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-iot-time-series/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-iot-time-series/A production-ready DynamoDB schema for IoT device readings with time-range queries, TTL-based data lifecycle, and pre-computed aggregations.Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-chat-messaging/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-chat-messaging/A production-ready DynamoDB schema for chat and messaging with conversations, paginated messages, read receipts, and unread counts.Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-single-table-mistakes/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-single-table-mistakes/Every one of these came from real schema reviews and community conversations. Here's what goes wrong and how to fix it.Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-order-duplication/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-order-duplication/The e-commerce orders pattern writes each order to two partition keys. Is that always the right call? A clear framework for when to duplicate and when not to.Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-unsupported-queries/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-unsupported-queries/Every DynamoDB schema is a set of bets. The queries you're not supporting are as important as the ones you are - and most teams never write them down.Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-schema-migrations/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-schema-migrations/Schema changes in DynamoDB are possible - they're just different from SQL migrations. A practical guide to attribute changes, key structure changes, GSI additions, and ElectroDB versioning.Sat, 07 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-single-table-vs-table-per-tenant/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-single-table-vs-table-per-tenant/Why not just give each tenant their own table? A cost comparison, operational analysis, and decision framework for SaaS multi-tenant DynamoDB.Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-social-media-feed/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-social-media-feed/Fan-out on write vs fan-out on read - the two approaches to social feeds in DynamoDB, when to use each, and a production-ready schema with ElectroDB.Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-vs-postgres-ecommerce/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-vs-postgres-ecommerce/I've built e-commerce backends on both. Here's when each wins - and when you'll regret the choice.Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-tenant-isolation/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-tenant-isolation/Two approaches to tenant isolation in DynamoDB - and when the complexity of IAM actually pays off over application-layer scoping.Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-sort-key-ulid-uuid/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-sort-key-ulid-uuid/Why your sort key choice determines which access patterns are possible - and when to use ULIDs to get the best of both worlds.Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-e-commerce-orders/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-e-commerce-orders/A production-ready DynamoDB schema for e-commerce orders with 8 access patterns, status-based GSI, and full ElectroDB entity definitions.Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/when-not-to-use-single-table-design/https://singletable.dev/blog/when-not-to-use-single-table-design/A DynamoDB advocate's honest take on when single-table design hurts more than it helps - and a framework for deciding.Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-fundamentals/https://singletable.dev/blog/dynamodb-fundamentals/Before single-table design makes sense, you need to understand how DynamoDB actually constrains you. This is the post that makes everything else on this site legible.Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-saas-multi-tenant/https://singletable.dev/blog/pattern-saas-multi-tenant/A complete single-table DynamoDB schema for SaaS multi-tenant apps. Access patterns, PK/SK design, GSIs, sample data, and ElectroDB entity code.Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://singletable.dev/blog/why-im-building-this/https://singletable.dev/blog/why-im-building-this/I've built production DynamoDB apps with 6+ GSIs per entity. The schema design process is still spreadsheets and guesswork. I'm fixing that.Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT