Designing DB partitions you don't have to babysit

Database partitioning strategies that embed the partition key into primary keys force that key into application queries, creating hidden performance dependencies and technical debt that spreads across codebases. Instead, partition by primary key and use automated background services to manage partition boundaries, keeping the partition key as a pure storage implementation detail rather than an application contract. This approach maintains query independence, preserves optimal query plans, and eliminates the risk of widespread performance degradation from forgotten partition filters.