PostgreSQL Performance
Starter Kit
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Lesson #1: Intro to psql
In this lesson, we cover the basics of psql in terms of how to connect to different databases and how to inspect your database in terms of tables, sequence, indexes, etc. This lesson makes sure everyone knows the basics of psql since we will be using it in future lessons.
Lesson #2: Intro to pg_stat_statements
In this lesson, we introduce you to pg_stat_statements. This is the #1 Postgres tool for tracking performance. It records every statement executed in your system allowing you to understand what statements are being called excessively or what statements are slow. We will use this knowledge to identify statements taking the most database time.
Lesson #3: Intro to explain
In this lesson, we get started using explain. This tool "explains" how the Postgres planner intends to execute the statements it receives. First, we show how Postgres uses a cost based model to choose the plan it uses. Finally, we use this knowledge to optimize a specific query to improve performance.
Who am I?
Hi! I am Creston Jamison. I got started using Microsoft SQL Server in the late 1990's, switched to Oracle in the early 2000's and have been using PostgreSQL since about 2008 (over 15 years!). About 8 years ago I started doing PostgreSQL consulting. I started "Scaling Postgres" (my weekly show on scaling Postgres) in 2018. I just hit a huge milestone by recording my 300th episode!
I help clients optimize the performance of their PostgreSQL databases. I have helped clients find 10,000 fold performance wins and helped them manage their multi-terabyte databases with trillions of rows.