PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL, often called Postgres, is an open-source relational database management system known for its reliability, SQL standards compliance, and extensibility. It supports advanced types, full-text search, and JSON storage alongside traditional tables.

Why it matters

Postgres is a popular choice for new applications because it combines strict transactional behavior with flexible features: the JSONB type for semi-structured data, powerful indexing options, window functions, and extensions such as PostGIS for geographic data. Concurrency uses multi-version concurrency control (MVCC), so readers do not block writers. It is offered as a managed service by most cloud providers.

Example

psql -h db.example.com -p 5432 -U appuser appdb

SELECT id, data->>'email' AS email
FROM profiles
WHERE data @> '{"plan": "pro"}';

The default port is 5432.

Common mistakes

• Neglecting autovacuum tuning on write-heavy tables, which leads to table bloat.
• Opening hundreds of direct connections instead of using a pool such as PgBouncer.
• Leaving pg_hba.conf too open, allowing connections from any address.

Related

• Connection pool
• Database index
• ACID
• MySQL

This page is general information written by our editorial team and updated when documentation changes. Servers and providers differ, so test changes safely first. See our editorial policy and disclaimer.