Postgres Case Sensitivity

Things you must know

While creating databases, remember:

• Embrace lowercase names for consistency.
• Use ALTER TABLE to rename entities in lowercase. This way, you ditch quotes.
• When migrating, ensure identifiers in dump files are lowercased for flawless PostgreSQL adaptation.

Migrating from non-PostgreSQL databases

Moving data from MSSQL? You might need to modify your dump file:

• Use the sed command to batch modify SQL files. But remember, you don't want to modify string literals. So, thread carefully.
• Peek into MSSQL's export options. There might be a hidden passage to PostgreSQL-compatible dump creation.

Querying made easier

To escape the labyrinth of case sensitivity, I present to you the magic spell—always query in lowercase:

SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = 'john_doe'; -- 'John Doe' who?
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Quoting in a query is like inviting trouble. Avoid it unless it's an absolute necessity.

Why it matters

If you think case sensitivity is a mere technicality, think again. It has tangible real-world implications:

• Application code can bomb due to case mismatches.
• Database migrations might lose data if case sensitivity isn't managed properly.
• User queries can generate errors if case sensitivity isn't planned.

Do's and don'ts

To have a hassle-free journey with PostgreSQL, here're some best practices:

• Stick to lowercase while naming tables and columns.
• Implement a consistent formatting in your coding style guidelines.
• Migrating? Test your application exhaustively to handle case sensitive data.

Troubleshooting 101

Stuck with case sensitivity issues?

• Use ILIKE for case-insensitive searches.
• Check constraints can enforce data case requirements.
• Ensure application object-relational mapping (ORM) reflects schema changes.