PostgreSQL Best Practices
Core Principles
- Leverage PostgreSQL's advanced features for robust data modeling
- Optimize queries using EXPLAIN ANALYZE and proper indexing strategies
- Use native PostgreSQL data types appropriately
- Implement proper connection pooling and resource management
- Follow PostgreSQL-specific security best practices
Schema Design
Data Types
- Use appropriate native types:
UUID,JSONB,ARRAY,INET,CIDR - Prefer
TIMESTAMPTZoverTIMESTAMPfor timezone-aware applications - Use
TEXTinstead ofVARCHARwhen no length limit is needed - Consider
NUMERICfor precise decimal calculations (financial data) - Use
SERIALorBIGSERIALfor auto-incrementing IDs, orUUIDfor distributed systems
Table Design
- Always define primary keys
- Use foreign keys with appropriate ON DELETE/UPDATE actions
- Add NOT NULL constraints where appropriate
- Use CHECK constraints for data validation
- Consider partitioning for large tables
Partitioning
- Use declarative partitioning for large tables (millions of rows)
- Choose appropriate partition strategy: RANGE, LIST, or HASH
- Create indexes on partitioned tables after partitioning
Indexing Strategies
Index Types
- Use B-tree indexes (default) for equality and range queries
- Use GIN indexes for JSONB, arrays, and full-text search
- Use GiST indexes for geometric data and range types
- Use BRIN indexes for large, naturally ordered data
- Consider partial indexes for filtered queries
Index Maintenance
- Regularly run ANALYZE to update statistics
- Use REINDEX for bloated indexes
- Monitor index usage with
pg_stat_user_indexes - Remove unused indexes to reduce write overhead
Query Optimization
EXPLAIN ANALYZE
- Always analyze query plans for slow queries
- Look for sequential scans on large tables
- Identify missing indexes from query plans
- Watch for high row estimates vs actual rows
Common Table Expressions (CTEs)
- Use CTEs for complex query organization
- Note: CTEs are optimization fences in older PostgreSQL versions
- Use
MATERIALIZED/NOT MATERIALIZEDhints in PostgreSQL 12+
Window Functions
- Use window functions for analytics queries
- Leverage PARTITION BY and ORDER BY for complex calculations
JSONB Best Practices
- Use JSONB over JSON for better performance and indexing
- Create GIN indexes for JSONB columns you query
- Use containment operators (@>, <@) for efficient queries
- Extract frequently queried fields to regular columns
Connection Management
Connection Pooling
- Use PgBouncer or pgpool-II for connection pooling
- Set appropriate pool sizes based on workload
- Use transaction pooling mode for short-lived connections
Connection Settings
Transactions and Locking
- Use appropriate transaction isolation levels
- Keep transactions short to reduce lock contention
- Use advisory locks for application-level locking
- Monitor and resolve lock conflicts
Maintenance
Vacuum and Analyze
- Enable autovacuum and tune for your workload
- Run manual VACUUM ANALYZE after bulk operations
- Monitor table bloat
Backup Strategies
- Use pg_dump for logical backups
- Use pg_basebackup for physical backups
- Implement point-in-time recovery (PITR) with WAL archiving
- Test backup restoration regularly
Security
- Use SSL/TLS for connections
- Implement row-level security (RLS) for multi-tenant applications
- Use roles and GRANT/REVOKE for access control
- Audit sensitive operations with pgAudit extension
Monitoring
- Monitor with pg_stat_statements extension
- Track slow queries and optimize regularly
- Set up alerts for replication lag, connection count, and disk usage
- Use pg_stat_activity to monitor active queries


