6 min read
Measuring Table Bloat in Postgres: The Question, Answered Honestly
Bloat measurement is useful only when it changes a cleanup decision. Learn when estimates are good enough, when pgstattuple is worth the cost, and what action follows.
PostgreSQL Field Notes
Notes for the problems that show up after launch: bad plans, awkward migrations, index debt, vacuum pressure, replica lag, and the small decisions that make PostgreSQL easier to operate.
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12 min read
PostgreSQL Memory Tuning: shared_buffers, work_mem, and Cache
Postgres memory tuning is a budget problem. shared_buffers, OS cache, work_mem, maintenance work, and connection count all spend the same RAM.
7 min read
When the Postgres Disk Fills: A Playbook From the 2 a.m. End of It
Disk-full on a Postgres server is rarely just one thing. WAL, temp files, logs, and delayed cleanup arrive together. The recovery is mostly about what you prepared before.
6 min read
Postgres Connection Storms: When the Pool Becomes the Outage
Connection storms look like database outages but usually start in pools, retries, autoscaling, deploys, and health checks. The fix is shaping pressure before it reaches Postgres.
7 min read
Point-in-Time Recovery in Postgres: The Capability You Hope You Never Use
PITR lets you restore the database to any moment within your retention window. The feature is well-documented; the operational reality is messier.
6 min read
Postgres Restore Drills: The Backup You Have Not Tested Is Not a Backup
Most teams have backups. Most teams have never restored from one. The first time you test, you find out the backup was missing something.
6 min read
pg_dump vs Physical Backup: Picking the Right Postgres Backup Strategy
Logical and physical backups solve different problems. Most teams need both, but only have one. Here is the actual decision framework.
5 min read
WAL Archive Retention: How Long to Keep WAL and How to Clean Up Safely
WAL accumulates fast. The retention policy is a tradeoff between PITR window and storage cost. Here is how I think about it.
12 min read
PostgreSQL Connection Pooling: PgBouncer Without Surprises
Pooling is about protecting Postgres from connection shape, not just increasing throughput. The hard parts are transaction mode, prepared statements, bursts, and failure behavior.
7 min read
Logical Replication in Postgres: When It Is the Right Tool and When It Isn't
Logical replication is more flexible than physical and more fragile. Use it when you need partial replication, cross-version, or selective sync. Don't use it for HA.
5 min read
Physical Replication Slots: The Lifesaver That Quietly Fills Your Disk
Physical replication slots make sure replicas can catch up after a disconnect. They also make sure your primary's disk fills if a replica is gone and forgotten.
6 min read
Read Replica Staleness in Postgres: The Bug You Will Eventually Meet
Read replicas are eventually consistent. The application's view of "after I wrote, my read should see it" is often wrong by milliseconds, sometimes by minutes.