Architecture and operations Performance and tuning postgresql

PostgreSQL Connection Pooling in 2026: When to Use PgBouncer vs Built-In Pooling

Connection pooling is one of the fastest ways to fix a “slow” PostgreSQL-backed app without touching a single query. In 2026, most production stacks sit behind some mix of driver-level pooling, PgBouncer, and sometimes pgpool-II—but they’re not interchangeable. This post walks through how PostgreSQL handles connections, where pooling actually helps, and when you should reach […]

David Sterling 
Architecture and operations Performance and tuning postgresql

PostgreSQL Table Bloat Management: VACUUM FULL, pg_repack, and the Coming REPACK CONCURRENTLY

Table bloat is one of PostgreSQL’s most persistent operational challenges. It’s a natural byproduct of how PostgreSQL handles updates and deletes — old row versions (dead tuples) pile up inside heap files, wasting storage, degrading index efficiency, and slowing down queries. Left unchecked, bloat can double or triple the physical size of your busiest tables. […]

David Sterling 
Performance and tuning postgresql

PostgreSQL 18: Unlocking Performance with Async I/O and UUIDv7

PostgreSQL 18, released in late 2025, has introduced several game-changing performance features that are fundamentally altering how we design and scale database-driven applications. Among these, the arrival of native Asynchronous I/O (AIO) and first-class UUIDv7 support stand out as the most impactful for modern, high-concurrency workloads. 1. The AIO Revolution: Eliminating I/O Wait For decades, […]

David Sterling 
postgresql

How to Use PostgreSQL as a Vector Database: A Complete pgvector & pgvectorscale Guide

As the AI landscape evolves in 2026, the question is no longer if you should use a vector database, but where your vectors should live. For many, the answer is increasingly PostgreSQL. With the combination of pgvector for core functionality and pgvectorscale for massive-scale performance, PostgreSQL has transformed from a relational workhorse into a high-performance […]

David Sterling 
Features and extensions postgresql

Top 3 PostgreSQL Topics Trending in March 2026: AI Vector Search, Async I/O, and Bloat Management

PostgreSQL continues to dominate the database landscape heading into spring 2026. With the release of PostgreSQL 18, a surge in AI-driven development, and key community discussions at PGConf.dev, there are three topics that every PostgreSQL developer and DBA should be focused on right now. Here’s what’s trending this month and why it matters for your […]

David Sterling 
postgresql

Neon PostgreSQL Tutorial: A Practical SQL Walkthrough

Neon’s PostgreSQL Tutorial is one of the cleanest step-by-step guides for learning SQL on Postgres, especially if you’re coming from another stack. It walks you from the very first SELECT through joins, set operations, subqueries, and table management, with concise examples you can run against a sample database. In this post, I’ll give you a […]

David Sterling 
postgresql

Why PostgreSQL CTEs Are Excellent: A Database Professional’s Perspective

As a database consultant who has spent years optimizing PostgreSQL implementations for businesses of all sizes, I’m frequently asked about query techniques that can transform complex database operations into maintainable, performant code. Common Table Expressions (CTEs) stand out as one of PostgreSQL’s most powerful features—and they’re often underutilized by developers who could benefit tremendously from […]

David Sterling