Archive for January 2026

In the spirit of fun and creativity, we’re kicking off 2026 with an invitation to bring your whole self to the Postgres community. Happy New Year from the Postgres Conference team. 

January may be wrapping up, but New Year's resolutions are still top of mind. Gym memberships. Dry January. Finally learning that language.

Here’s one resolution we can get behind: let the fun and creative parts of you take the mic.

The Life & Fun track at Postgres Conference 2026 has nothing to do with PostgreSQL, and that's exactly the point.

We spend so much of our lives thinking about databases, deployments, and deadlines. But who are you when you close the laptop? What lights you up when you're not troubleshooting queries?

Maybe you're a beekeeper. You understand colony management, seasonal cycles, and the delicate art of not getting stung.

Maybe you went solar. You researched panels, navigated permits, and now you watch your energy meter spin backward.

Maybe you're building a homestead. Chickens, gardens, rainwater collection. You're learning skills your grandparents knew and your coworkers don't.

Maybe you restore classic cars. Carburetors, body work, and the satisfaction of an engine turning over after months of weekends in the garage.

Maybe you build terrariums. Tiny ecosystems in glass. Living art that requires patience and precision.

Things like this are what make you a whole person. And whole people make better colleagues, better problem-solvers, and better community members.

Topics in the Life & Fun Track

  • Hobbies and passion projects
  • DIY and maker culture
  • Outdoor adventures
  • Creative pursuits
  • Sustainability and self-sufficiency
  • Anything that brings joy

Register for Postgres Conference: 2026

Postgres Conference 2026 takes place April 21-23 in San Jose, California. 

The theme, Energizing People with Data and Creativity, recognizes that the most powerful systems are built by people who are curious, fulfilled, and energized beyond their day jobs. The Life & Fun track celebrates that truth by making space for the passions, projects, and pursuits that recharge us and shape how we show up for our communities and our work.

Early bird registration is available now! Purchase your General Admission tickets here

Call for Postgres Conference 2026 Speakers & Trainers

We’re also welcoming proposals across all tracks, including Life & Fun. The Call for Speakers and Trainers is an invitation to bring your whole self to the conference stage. Share what excites you, what you’ve built, or what you’ve learned outside the database.

CFP closes January 30, 2026. Submit here

Debra Cerda     January 28, 2026     call for proposals

PostgreSQL is more than a database. It's the foundation developers build on.

Every application has a data layer. The decisions you make there—schema design, query patterns, extension choices, performance trade-offs—shape everything that comes after.

What You'll Learn in the Dev Track

 The Dev track at Postgres Conference 2026 is where developers share what they've learned building real applications with PostgreSQL.

This isn't theory. This is practice.

Real architectural decisions. When to denormalize. How to handle multi-tenancy. Whether to push logic into the database or keep it in the application layer. Hear how experienced developers made these choices and what they learned.

Modern stack integrations. GraphQL APIs. Event-driven architectures. Microservices. Serverless functions. PostgreSQL fits into all of them, and you'll learn the patterns that actually work.

Extensions in production. pg_vector for semantic search and AI applications. PostGIS for location features. Full-text search that scales. Custom data types that model your domain perfectly. Learn from teams using these in real applications.

Performance that matters. Query optimization from the developer's perspective. Schema designs that perform at scale. Lessons learned when users actually showed up..

Topics in the Dev Track

  • Application architecture patterns with PostgreSQL
  • Schema design and data modeling
  • Query optimization for developers
  • ORMs, query builders, and database access patterns
  • Building APIs backed by PostgreSQL
  • Testing strategies for database-backed applications
  • Lessons learned from production applications

Postgres Conference 2025 Highlights

Check out how presenters tackled PostgreSQL topics and get a preview of what to expect in 2026. Listen and watch highlights in our Postgres Conference 2025 YouTube playlist.

Register for Postgres Conference: 2026

Postgres Conference 2026 takes place April 21-23 in San Jose, California. The theme is Energizing People with Data and Creativity, and the Dev track is where data meets the applications that innovate and make it useful.

Early bird registration is available now! Purchase your General Admission tickets here

Call for Postgres Conference 2026 Speakers & Trainers

If you like building applications with PostgreSQL and can help others learn from your development experience, why not share your experience? The CFP is open across all tracks. Share what you've learned.

CFP closes January 30, 2026. Submit here

Debra Cerda     January 27, 2026     call for speakers

Just a few of our organizers from Postgres Conference 2025 in Orlando: Sweta Vooda, Onsite Session Coordinator; Malcolm McLean, AV & Registration Coordinator; Debbie Cerda, Talk Selection Committee & Speaker Liaison; Lloyd Albin, AV Logistics & Registration Coordinator (Photo Courtesy of Sweta Vooda)

Postgres Conference is built and supported by people who care deeply about the Postgres community. We're looking for individuals who want to go beyond volunteering and help shape the conference and the community’s future.

What Organizers Do

Organizers are community stewards who help lead and sustain the conference. This role involves:

  • Ongoing collaboration: You'll work with other organizers to plan, execute, and optimize the conference year-round.
  • Flexible contributions: Step in where you're needed, whether that's logistics, community outreach, programming, or day-of coordination.
  • Building community: Help create a welcoming space for learning and connection.

Time Commitment

Involvement varies by role and season. Most of the year requires lighter engagement. Activity increases during planning phases and peaks during the conference itself.

Who Should Apply

 We welcome both first-time contributors and experienced community leaders. If you believe in open collaboration and want to strengthen the Postgres community, this role is for you.

Get Involved

Contact us at organizers@postgresconf.org to learn more about becoming an Organizer.

Debra Cerda     January 19, 2026     volunteer

Welcome to January. The inbox is overflowing. Q1 goals just dropped. Everyone's talking about resolutions. Here's one worth keeping: Take care of yourself this year.

Not the vague "self-care" that means eye masks and bubble baths (though those are fine). Real, sustainable wellness. The kind that keeps you energized and passionate.

Let's be honest. Tech is hard on people.

Burnout is real. The always-on culture. The 2 AM pages. The pressure to constantly learn, constantly ship, and constantly perform. It catches up with everyone eventually.

Work-life balance is a myth. We've been chasing a fantasy. Integration is more realistic: finding ways to make work and life coexist without one consuming the other.

The Professional Development & Wellness Track at Postgres Conference: 2026

The Professional Development & Wellness track at Postgres Conference 2026 tackles the human side of technical careers. Learn from practitioners who've navigated these challenges and come out stronger.

Topics include:

  • Managing and recovering from burnout
  • Career advancement strategies
  • Leadership development
  • Communication skills for technical professionals
  • Mental health in tech
  • Work-life integration (not balance—integration)
  • Building resilience
  • Mentorship and sponsors
  • Navigating career transitions
  • Finding meaning in your work

These aren’t soft skills - these are survival skills. The technical skills that get you hired and motivate you. The human skills keep you going.

Postgres Conference 2025 Professional Development Track Highlights

Listen or watch sessions from the Postgres Conference 2025: Professional Development Track on YouTube.

Register for Postgres Conference: 2026

Postgres Conference: 2026 takes place April 21-23 in San Jose, California. The theme is Energizing People with Data and Creativity, and nothing needs more energy than the people doing the work.

Early bird registration is available now! Purchase your General Admission tickets here.

Call for Postgres Conference 2026 Speakers & Trainers

If you've navigated career challenges and can share lessons from your professional journey, we want to hear from you. The CFP is open across all tracks. Share what you've learned.

CFP closes January 30, 2026: Submit here.

Debra Cerda     January 13, 2026     professional development

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