PostgreSQL Configuration Parameters Explained

Complete guide to PostgreSQL configuration parameters. Learn how to understand, tune, and optimize your PostgreSQL database with clear explanations, examples, and best practices.

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of PostgreSQL configuration parameters.
Each parameter is explained in detail — what it does, why it matters, and the ideal values for different workloads.

Whether you are a DBA, developer, or architect, understanding these parameters is key to:

  • Improving database performance
  • Reducing downtime
  • Optimizing resource usage
  • Ensuring long-term stability and scalability

Why PostgreSQL Parameters Matter

PostgreSQL is highly customizable, but misconfigured parameters can lead to poor performance, excessive resource usage, or even downtime.
By learning the purpose and best practices for each parameter, you can ensure your database is running efficiently and reliably.

Categories


Autovacuum

Master PostgreSQL autovacuum parameters. Learn optimal settings for automatic vacuuming, analyzing, and performance tuning to maintain database health and prevent bloat..

Client Connection / Locale and Formatting

Master PostgreSQL client connection locale and formatting settings. Learn how to configure encoding, time zones, numeric formatting, and text search for optimal international compatibility and data consistency.

Client Connection / Other

Master PostgreSQL dynamic library paths and GIN fuzzy search parameters. Learn optimal settings for extension management and search optimization for enhanced database performance.

Client Connection / Preloading

Explanation of PostgreSQL shared library preloading parameters. Learn how to configure JIT providers and preload libraries for optimized database performance.

Client Connection / Statement Behavior

Master PostgreSQL statement behavior parameters. Learn optimal settings for transaction timeouts, isolation levels, security policies, and session management for robust database operations.

Connections and Authentication / Authentication

Master PostgreSQL authentication parameters. Learn optimal settings for security timeouts, encryption methods, and Kerberos/GSSAPI configuration for robust database access control.

Connections and Authentication / Connection Settings

Master PostgreSQL connection parameters. Learn optimal settings for network configuration, connection limits, socket permissions, and port settings for secure and efficient database connections.

Connections and Authentication / SSL

Master PostgreSQL SSL/TLS encryption parameters. Learn optimal settings for certificate management, protocol versions, cipher suites, and secure connections for database security.

Connections and Authentication / TCP Settings

Master PostgreSQL TCP connection parameters. Learn optimal settings for keepalives, timeout management, and connection stability for reliable database networking.

Customized Options / pg_stat_statements

Master PostgreSQL pg_stat_statements parameters for query performance monitoring. Learn optimal settings for tracking, saving, and analyzing SQL statement statistics.

Developer Options

Expert guide to PostgreSQL developer parameters for debugging and testing. Learn about dangerous settings, debugging tools, and recovery options for development environments only.

Error Handling

Master PostgreSQL error handling parameters. Learn optimal settings for crash recovery, data synchronization, and session termination for robust database operations.

File Locations

Master PostgreSQL file location parameters. Learn optimal settings for configuration files, data directories, extension paths, and PID management for proper database operation.

Lock Management

Master PostgreSQL lock management parameters. Learn optimal settings for deadlock detection, lock limits, and predicate locking for optimal concurrency and performance.

Preset Options

Comprehensive reference of PostgreSQL preset configuration parameters. Understand block sizes, checksums, server capabilities, and system settings that are determined at installation or compile time.

Query Tuning / Genetic Query Optimizer

Master PostgreSQL GEQO parameters for optimizing complex query planning. Learn genetic algorithm settings, join ordering, and threshold configuration for large query optimization.

Query Tuning / Other Planner Options

Master PostgreSQL query planner parameters. Learn optimal settings for constraint exclusion, statistics, JIT compilation, and join optimization for superior query performance.

Query Tuning / Planner Cost Constants

Master PostgreSQL planner cost constants for optimal query performance. Learn to tune CPU costs, I/O settings, parallel query thresholds, and JIT compilation parameters for your specific hardware.

Query Tuning / Planner Method Configuration

Master PostgreSQL planner method configuration parameters. Learn to enable/disable specific query planning techniques for optimal execution plans and performance tuning.

Replication / Primary Server

Master PostgreSQL synchronous replication parameters. Learn optimal settings for synchronous_standby_names and synchronized_standby_slots for high availability and data consistency.

Replication / Sending Servers

Master PostgreSQL replication sender parameters. Learn optimal settings for replication slots, WAL senders, WAL retention, and commit timestamp tracking for robust replication.

Replication / Standby Servers

Master PostgreSQL standby server replication parameters. Learn optimal settings for hot standby, query conflicts, replication delays, and failover configuration for high availability.

Replication / Subscribers

Master PostgreSQL logical replication subscriber parameters. Learn optimal settings for replication workers, parallel apply, and table synchronization for efficient logical replication.

Reporting and Logging / Process Title

Master PostgreSQL process title parameters. Learn optimal settings for cluster naming and process visibility for better monitoring and debugging of database operations.

Reporting and Logging / What to Log

Master PostgreSQL logging parameters. Learn optimal settings for query logging, connection tracking, error reporting, and monitoring for comprehensive database visibility.

Reporting and Logging / When to Log

Master PostgreSQL logging timing parameters. Learn optimal settings for slow query logging, error reporting, statement sampling, and transaction logging for effective database monitoring.

Reporting and Logging / Where to Log

Master PostgreSQL logging destination parameters. Learn optimal settings for log files, rotation, syslog integration, and log management for effective database monitoring.

Resource Usage / Asynchronous Behavior

Master PostgreSQL asynchronous operation parameters. Learn optimal settings for parallel processing, I/O concurrency, and worker management for maximum database performance.

Resource Usage / Background Writer

Master PostgreSQL background writer parameters. Learn optimal settings for buffer management, writeback performance, and I/O optimization for superior database performance.

Resource Usage / Cost-Based Vacuum Delay

Master PostgreSQL cost-based vacuum delay parameters. Learn optimal settings for I/O throttling, vacuum performance, and resource management during maintenance operations.

Resource Usage / Disk

Master PostgreSQL disk resource parameters. Learn optimal settings for NOTIFY/LISTEN queue management and temporary file limits for efficient disk space utilization.

Resource Usage / Kernel Resources

Master PostgreSQL kernel resource parameters. Learn optimal settings for file descriptor limits and system resource management for stable database operations.

Resource Usage / Memory

Master PostgreSQL memory parameters for optimal performance. Learn to configure shared buffers, work memory, maintenance operations, and specialized memory pools for different database workloads.

Statistics / Cumulative Query and Index Statistics

Master PostgreSQL statistics collection parameters. Learn optimal settings for activity tracking, performance monitoring, and query statistics for comprehensive database insights.

Statistics / Monitoring

Master PostgreSQL monitoring statistics parameters. Learn optimal settings for query identification, performance statistics, and deep performance analysis for advanced database troubleshooting.

Version and Platform Compatibility / Other Platforms and Clients

Master PostgreSQL platform compatibility parameters. Learn optimal settings for ALTER SYSTEM security and NULL handling behavior for better application compatibility and database management.

Version and Platform Compatibility / Previous PostgreSQL Versions

Master PostgreSQL backward compatibility parameters. Learn optimal settings for array handling, string escaping, and legacy behavior for smooth migration and application compatibility.

Write-Ahead Log / Archive Recovery

Master PostgreSQL WAL archive recovery parameters. Learn optimal settings for restore commands, cleanup operations, and recovery management for robust disaster recovery.

Write-Ahead Log / Archiving

Master PostgreSQL WAL archiving parameters. Learn optimal settings for archive commands, library configuration, and WAL management for robust backup and recovery.

Write-Ahead Log / Checkpoints

Master PostgreSQL checkpoint parameters. Learn optimal settings for WAL management, checkpoint timing, and I/O optimization for superior database performance and recovery.

Write-Ahead Log / Recovery

Master PostgreSQL recovery prefetch parameters. Learn optimal settings for WAL prefetching, buffer sizing, and recovery performance optimization for faster database recovery.

Write-Ahead Log / Recovery Target

Master PostgreSQL recovery target parameters. Learn optimal settings for point-in-time recovery, timeline selection, and recovery actions for precise database restoration.

Write-Ahead Log / Settings

Master PostgreSQL WAL configuration parameters. Learn optimal settings for durability, performance, compression, and synchronization for reliable database operations.

Write-Ahead Log / Summarization

Master PostgreSQL WAL summarization parameters. Learn optimal settings for incremental backup support, WAL summary retention, and efficient backup management.