PostgreSQL Design at Scale: Normalization vs JSONB (A Real-World Guide)

When you start building an app, everyone gives the same advice: “Normalize your database.” And they’re right… at the beginning. But once your app starts scaling? That same “clean design” can become your biggest bottleneck. This is where denormalization (especially JSONB in PostgreSQL) becomes a powerful tool. Let’s break this down with a real-world example. Table of Contents The Scenario: A High-Traffic Food Delivery App Part 1: Normalization — The Clean Approach The Problem with JOINs at Scale