Debra Cerda Blog Posts

On May 12, 2025, something remarkable happened in Montréal. The Postgres Extension Developers Coalition (“PGDEC”) hosted Postgres Extensions Day Montréal 2025 as a free, full-day event to provide a forum for extension developers to discuss challenges and solutions. The PGEDC seeks to identify and address limitations within the current Postgres extension framework, advocating for improvements and new features that would benefit the extension ecosystem.

The Postgres community responded with overwhelming enthusiasm through insightful presentations and engaging hallway discussions. You can watch the entire Postgres Extensions Day 2025 Montreal event on the PGDEC YouTube channel below:

This enthusiasm wasn't new. At previous Postgres Conferences, extension sessions have been consistently well-attended. Nearly all the pgvector sessions at the 2026 conference in Orlando were at capacity.

Standing Room Only: The Extension Community Speaks

Sessions like "Postgres.pm: Packaging Manager Magic" by Yurii Rashkovskii, "1 Billion Row Challenge: Comparing Postgres, DuckDB, and Extensions" by Ryan Booz, and "Understanding Database Statistics and Extensions in PostgreSQL" by Ranjan Burman drew significant interest. The message was clear: the community craves extension content.

Why Extensions Matter

Extensions are PostgreSQL's superpower, as they transform a database into an even more robust platform. Need vector similarity search for AI applications? Install pg_vector. Building location services? PostGIS has you covered. Time-series data? TimescaleDB. Horizontal scaling? Citus. The ecosystem includes over 300 extensions, each solving real problems every day.

The Challenges Extension Developers Face

  • But extension developers face unique challenges:
  • Maintaining compatibility across PostgreSQL versions is complex
  • Distribution and packaging strategies vary wildly
  • Security considerations multiply when you're extending core functionality
  • Testing becomes exponentially harder
  • The community is fragmented, as maintainers of different extensions rarely connect in person

Postgres Extensions Day Montréal 2025 proved that extension developers need a dedicated space. Not a 20-minute talk squeezed between database administration sessions or surface-level overviews.

The standing-room-only sessions at Postgres Conference 2025 validated this need, so we're extending Extensions Day quite literally to Silicon Valley. On April 23, 2026, Postgres Conference brings the proven Montreal format to the West Coast with enhanced reach and integration.

Where Innovation Actually Happens

Why does this matter? Because extensions are where PostgreSQL innovation happens. Core database development moves carefully and deliberately. Extensions move fast — they innovate, address edge cases, and push boundaries.

Extensions Day embodies Postgres Conference 2026's theme: "Energizing People with Data and Creativity." Extension developers are the creative force transforming data possibilities.

Extension developers deserve recognition, technical depth, and community support. Extensions Day at Postgres Conference 2026 provides all of this and more.

Your Moment to Connect

The extension community has spoken. From standing-room-only sessions at conferences to the overwhelming response in Montréal, the message is clear: extension developers need their own space. They've been working in isolation, solving similar problems independently, waiting for their moment to connect.

That moment is now.

Watch what happened in May, and see the community that's forming. Then answer the call by bringing your extension expertise to San Jose. Your challenges, your solutions, and your insights matter. The ecosystem needs your ideas, your voice, and your creativity!

What We're Looking For

Topics we’re looking for:

  • Operating extensions in production
  • Teaching extension development
  • Extension packaging and delivery
  • Libraries and frameworks for extensions
  • Gaps and challenges
  • Implementing extensions in different languages
  • Interesting techniques, discoveries, and lessons learned
  • Extensions security
  • Anything related to Postgres extensions

Share your extension expertise at Extensions Day at Postgres Conference 2026. Submit your proposal here before the CFP closes on January 30, 2026.

Interested in attending? Early Bird Registration is now open! Learn more at the blog post and register today!

Debra Cerda     December 02, 2025     extensions

Early bird registration is now live for Postgres Conference 2026, and the savings are significant. Lock in your ticket at just $299 before January 31st—a $300 discount off the regular general admission price of $599.

What to Expect in San Jose

Join us April 21-23 at the Hilton San Jose for three days dedicated to the Postgres community. Since 2007, Postgres Conference has been more than a technical event—it's been a gathering place where hundreds of thousands of people have advanced their skills, built lasting professional relationships, and contributed to strengthening the entire Postgres ecosystem.

This year's conference theme, "Energizing People with Data and Creativity," reflects our core belief that community drives innovation. We've designed the experience to be intentionally focused and professional, creating space for meaningful connections alongside world-class technical education.

Six Tracks for Every Interest

Whether you're a Postgres power user or new to the technology, we've structured tracks to meet you where you are:

  • Postgres Extensions Day dives deep into the ecosystem of extensions that expand PostgreSQL's capabilities
  • The Dev track focuses on advanced development practices and optimization
  • The Ops track covers deployment, scaling, and operational excellence
  • The Essentials provides foundational knowledge for those getting started
  • Life and Fun celebrates the human side of technology—networking, culture, and community building
  • The Professional Development & Wellness emphasizes career growth, leadership, and well-being

Plan Ahead for Training

Beyond the main conference, specialized pre-conference training sessions will be available as add-ons for Monday, April 20th. Training tickets are sold separately, allowing you to customize your experience with expert-led workshops.

Why Early Bird?

The early bird pricing is a limited-time opportunity. At just $299, you're investing in three days of education, professional growth, and community connection—all while supporting the events that have shaped the Postgres ecosystem for nearly two decades. After January 31st, the general admission price increases to $599, so now is the time to register.

Location Details

Hilton San Jose
300 Almaden Boulevard
San Jose, CA 95110
United States

Stay Tuned

We will be sharing more updates in the coming months on what's in store for 2026! We're excited to see you in San Jose. Whether you're looking to deepen your technical expertise, connect with colleagues, or discover what's possible with Postgres, we've built an experience designed for your growth.

Register Now for Early Bird Pricing

Debra Cerda     November 20, 2025     postgresql training conference

 

As part of the countdown to PostgresConf US 2018, learn more about the engaging content and our speakers for this year in our Speaker Spotlight Series.

Elizabeth Zalman is the Co-founder & CEO of strongDM, the definitive data security product. Previously she was Co-Founder and CEO of the cross-device profile company Media Armor.

Liz will be presenting a breakout session "Do You Know Your Vendor Dependencies" on Wednesday, April 18, at 4 pm. Read what she has to say about Postgres and why to attend her session: 

Why PostgreSQL? What got you into it, and made you stick with it?

Featureful performance & proven reliability. Over the years I've found fewer and fewer reasons to consider alternatives beyond Postgres (two notable exceptions being redis-style KV and queues).

Tell us about your involvement with the greater Postgres community.

strongDM hears a lot about how its customers use PG and its derivatives (Greenplum, the latest on Aurora, etc.) and we love sharing tips when appropriate.

What new features of PostgreSQL 10 are you most excited about?

As a security product, we're always happy to see security-related upgrades: SASL/SCRAM authentication is a popular option in several of database systems, and is a significant upgrade over the previous salted hashes. We also rely heavily on partitioning, so all related enhancements are welcome.Finally: although we generally wouldn't choose to run parallel queries in a primarily OLTP system, the promise of running analytic queries on a replica (rather than ETL'ing into an analytic database) is very appealing.

What features should be developed/improved and released in the next major upgrade?

Dynamic optimization for queries on partitioned tables. Right now if you run select * from date_partitioned_table where event_timestamp between NOW() and NOW() - interval '7 days'; It scans every partition because the result of NOW() is not knowable ahead of time. But it could optimize that query when it was asked to execute it. Instead of creating a static query plan it could say, I know I'm going to have to compute a list of partitions. So, let's just remember that. Then right before the query runs, it could calculate the list and run the query as though it had been planned with a static date range, and thus only query the affected tables. 

 Why should attendees come to your talk at PostgresConf US 2018?

In this talk, I'll share practical examples of breaches I've personally experienced along with advice on how to hold your vendors accountable, and hopefully make the topic of security a little less intimidating in the process.

What sessions are you most excited about attending at PostgresConf US 2018?

I am looking forward to attending “Reducing the Surface Area of Risk in Data Security” by Tim Gorman and “General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) with Azure Database for PostgreSQL” by Mark Bolz.

What is your favorite aspect of PostgresConf US?

Being able to network with and learn from a unique community! I’ve found practice to really be one of the best ways to learn about databases.

 What advice would you have for a Computer Science graduate or entry level developer who are interested in learning and engaging with Postgres? 

 I’ve found practice to really be one of the best ways to learn about databases. Get your hands dirty: try breaking things and then fixing them! 

Check out the full schedule for PostgresConf US 2018, and buy your tickets soon!

 

 

 

Core PostgreSQL knowledge compounds over time. Understanding data types, indexing strategies, query optimization, and transaction behavior provides value regardless of framework, application architecture, or PostgreSQL version.

The Essentials track at Postgres Conference: 2026 is dedicated to core PostgreSQL knowledge. If it's in the documentation or should be, this is where we explore it thoroughly.

This isn't beginner content. Every core concept has complexity worth understanding.

What You'll Learn in the Essentials Track

Data types beyond the basics. PostgreSQL's type system includes arrays, JSONB, ranges, and custom types that solve problems other databases punt to the application layer. Learn how to leverage these types effectively.

Indexing strategies that actually work. B-tree, GIN, GiST, BRIN, and hash indexes each exist for specific reasons. Understand when to use which, how to read EXPLAIN output, and when indexes hurt more than they help.

Query optimization fundamentals. Go beyond adding indexes. Understand the query planner, statistics, joins, and execution strategies to write performant queries from the start.

Transaction isolation in practice. MVCC, isolation levels, and locking behavior aren't just academic concepts. Learn how they affect real applications and how to prevent production incidents.

Documentation deep dives. PostgreSQL's documentation is legendary, but dense. Sessions in this track surface buried knowledge and make it actionable.

Topics in the Essentials Track

  • Data types deep dives (JSONB, arrays, ranges, custom types)
  • Indexing strategies and trade-offs
  • Query optimization and EXPLAIN analysis
  • Transaction management and isolation
  • Constraints and data integrity patterns
  • Configuration and tuning fundamentals
  • Backup, restore, and recovery basics
  • Security fundamentals
  • SQL features that PostgreSQL does better
  • And more!

Postgres Conference 2025 Essentials Track Highlights

Check out how presenters tackled complex PostgreSQL topics and get a preview of what to expect in 2026. Listen and watch Essentials track highlights in our Postgres Conference 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. Understanding the fundamentals gives you the foundation to be creative.

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

Call for Postgres Conference 2026 Speakers & Trainers

Want to share your expertise? If you like to dive deep into PostgreSQL fundamentals and can help others understand them, 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     December 10, 2025     #postgresconf essentials

The Postgres Conference 2025 is set to take place in Orlando, Florida, from March 18 to 21, 2025. This year's conference features an expanded lineup of tracks, including the Dev Track, which is tailored for developers seeking to deepen their expertise in PostgreSQL. This track offers sessions to enhance your development skills, explore new tools, and provide practical insights into PostgreSQL's capabilities.

What to Expect

The Dev Track is curated to address the diverse needs of developers working with PostgreSQL. Attendees can look forward to:

  • In-Depth Tutorials: Hands-on sessions that delve into advanced PostgreSQL features and development practices.
  • Expert-Led Workshops: Opportunities to learn from seasoned professionals about optimizing performance, implementing machine learning, and more.
  • Cutting-Edge Topics: Discussions on the latest tools, extensions, and methodologies in the PostgreSQL ecosystem.

Session Highlights

Here are some standout sessions in the Dev Track:

  • A Practical Guide to Set-Based Queries (paid training)

    • Speaker: Aaron Cutshall
    • Date & Time: March 18, 2025, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
    • Description: This workshop addresses performance issues arising from procedural code in PostgreSQL. Aaron will guide participants through transforming procedural logic into efficient set-based queries, enhancing database performance.

  • Machine Learning using PostgreSQL (paid training)

    • Speaker: Abbas Butt
    • Date & Time: March 18, 2025, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
    • Description: Abbas will introduce participants to implementing machine learning algorithms directly within PostgreSQL 15.x using Apache MADlib 2.1.0 installed on Ubuntu 22.04. The session covers practical applications of predictive analytics, enabling developers to harness the power of ML in their databases.

  • From MongoDB to Postgres: Building an Open Source Standard for Document Databases
    • Speaker: Peter Farkas
    • Date & Time: March 19, 2025, 4:00 - 4:20 PM
    • Description: This session reviews the current state of document databases, and demonstrates how Postgres handles MongoDB workloads with ease.

For a comprehensive view of all sessions and to plan your itinerary, visit the official conference schedule.

Why Attend?

Participating in the Dev Track at Postgres Conference 2025 offers numerous benefits:

  • Skill Enhancement: Gain practical knowledge and hands-on experience with PostgreSQL's advanced features.
  • Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow developers, industry experts, and thought leaders.
  • Stay Current: Keep abreast of the latest developments, tools, and best practices in the PostgreSQL community.

Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your PostgreSQL development skills. Register now and join us in Orlando for an enriching experience.

Debra Cerda     March 06, 2025

Call for Speakers: Join Us at Postgres Conference Seattle 2024!

We are excited to announce that the Postgres Conference Seattle 2024 is accepting speaker submissions! This is your chance to share your knowledge, insights, and experiences with the global PostgreSQL community in one of the world’s most innovative tech hubs. Whether you're a seasoned PostgreSQL expert or have unique insights on emerging trends, this is the perfect stage to amplify your voice and make an impact.

Why Speak at Postgres Conference: Seattle

As the largest PostgreSQL gathering in the U.S., Postgres Conference: Seattle 2024 brings together users, developers, DBAs, and thought leaders from diverse industries including FinTech, HealthTech, EdTech, and more! Here’s why you should consider submitting a proposal:

  1. Expand Your Reach: Presenting at the conference will allow you to connect with hundreds of like-minded professionals, influencers, and companies shaping the future of data management.
  2. Share Your Expertise: Whether you're a PostgreSQL guru or a curious learner with unique insights, your contribution can help others grow in their own Postgres journey.
  3. Professional Recognition: Gain visibility and recognition within the Postgres community and broader tech industry. Being a speaker enhances your profile and can open doors for future collaborations, partnerships, or even job opportunities.
  4. Contribute to the PostgreSQL Ecosystem: PostgreSQL continues to evolve rapidly. By sharing your experiences, you contribute to the collective growth and innovation of this incredible open-source database system.

Tracks for Every Interest

We’re looking for speakers across various areas of expertise. If you work in development, operations, or the essential aspects of PostgreSQL usage, we want to hear from you! Here’s a quick overview of our three main tracks:

Development (Dev) Track

Do you have cutting-edge insights on PostgreSQL development? This track is for talks focused on building, optimizing, and scaling applications using PostgreSQL. Some of the topics you could cover include:

  • Query optimization and performance tuning
  • Building and deploying PostgreSQL-based applications
  • Best practices in database schema design
  • Case studies of innovative solutions using PostgreSQL

Whether you're diving into PL/pgSQL, extending Postgres with custom functions, or exploring advanced indexing techniques, this is the perfect platform to share your expertise with fellow developers.

Operations (Ops) Track

If you’re working behind the scenes, ensuring that PostgreSQL environments are secure, scalable, and high-performing, the Ops track is for you. This track seeks submissions from database administrators, SREs, DevOps engineers, and anyone involved in the operational side of PostgreSQL, such as:

  • Scaling PostgreSQL for high-traffic applications
  • Backup and recovery strategies
  • Monitoring and observability tools
  • Managing multi-region or cloud-based Postgres instances

Share your experience on how to keep PostgreSQL running smoothly, even under the most demanding conditions.

Essentials Track

The Essentials track is perfect for those who want to speak about the core foundational aspects of PostgreSQL. It’s an ideal opportunity to present content geared toward people who are new to PostgreSQL or seeking to deepen their understanding of its key concepts. Suggested topics might include:

  • Introduction to PostgreSQL for beginners
  • SQL best practices and optimization
  • Setting up a robust PostgreSQL environment
  • Security fundamentals for database management

This track encourages first-time speakers and practitioners who want to help others navigate the essentials of working with PostgreSQL.

How to Submit Your Proposal

Submitting a proposal is easy! Simply prepare an abstract that describes your talk, its relevance to the conference tracks, and what attendees will take away from it. We encourage submissions from individuals of all backgrounds and levels of experience. Diversity of thought and experience enriches the conversation, and we welcome fresh perspectives.

Create a user account and submit your abstract, title, and description for review consideration.

Take this opportunity to shine as a thought leader in the Postgres world. Share your journey, inspire innovation, and connect with a vibrant community that’s as passionate about Postgres as you are. Submit your proposal today and join us in Seattle for an unforgettable experience!

Important Dates:

Submission Deadline: Monday, September 30th, midnight Pacific Time/ 3 am ET

Event Dates: November 6 - 7, 2024

Ready to Submit?

To submit your proposal and find more details, head to our submission page. Questions can be directed to organizers@postgresconf.org. We look forward to seeing you in Seattle!

We can’t wait to hear from you. Let’s shape the future of Postgres together!

Debra Cerda     September 26, 2024     seattle postgres open source conference

 

As part of the countdown to Postgres Conference 2024, learn more about the engaging content and our speakers for this year in our Speaker Spotlight Series.

Relevant Logic President/CEO Guyren Howe is a web developer, trainer, database expert, technical writer, and more specializing in PostgreSQL, Flutter, and Rails. Guyren will present “Postgres’s Type System” at Postgres Conference 2024. Read what Guyren has to say about Postgres and why to attend his session:

Why should attendees come to your talk at Postgres Conference 2024?

What would you like for them to take away from your session? Learn the important details of Postgres's type system: the built-in types, extension types, domains, arrays and custom types.

What is your favorite aspect of Postgres Conference?

My talk :)

What advice would you have for a Computer Science graduate or entry level developer who are interested in learning and engaging with Postgres and other open source technologies?

Follow the pgsql-general list. Learn relational theory. Don't listen to the database haters.

How do you see the use of open source technologies evolving over the next five years?

I foresee an open source boom as AI technologies can work with open source much better than closed.

 

Check out the full schedule for PostgresConf US 2024. Learn more about our conference here and buy your tickets soon!

As part of the countdown to Postgres Conference 2024, learn more about the engaging content and our speakers for this year in our Speaker Spotlight Series.

Shayon Sanyal is a Principal PostgreSQL Specialist at Amazon Aurora, with over 15 years experience, and crafts resilient applications, leveraging PostgreSQL's advanced features.

Shayon will present Enhancing OLTP Systems with pgvector: Best Practices in Database Design. Read what Shayon has to say about Postgres and why to attend their session:

Why should attendees come to your talk at Postgres Conference 2024? What would you like for them to take away from your session?
The integration of pgvector into existing Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) systems represents a significant advancement in leveraging vector search capabilities within traditional database environments. This presentation is designed to educate database professionals on the thoughtful integration of pgvector into OLTP applications powered by PostgreSQL, ensuring enhanced functionalities without compromising the core transactional integrity and performance. Attendees will learn how to adopt pgvector to unlock new application features while maintaining reliability, performance and scalability of their PostgreSQL databases. The presentation provides a roadmap for practical pgvector integration regardless of the hosting environment.

What is your favorite aspect of Postgres Conference?
For me, the most amazing aspect of the Postgres Conference is the opportunity to learn from and engage with some of the most brilliant minds in the PostgreSQL ecosystem. The lineup of speakers and contributors is always exceptional, offering invaluable insights and perspectives that can shape the future of this powerful database management system. The depth and breadth of technical discussions from advanced database internals and performance optimizations to cutting-edge features and real-world use cases, the conference provides a platform for exploring the full potential of PostgreSQL. It's a true feast for those who crave technical excellence.

What advice would you have for a Computer Science graduate or entry level developer who are interested in learning and engaging with Postgres and other open source technologies?
My advice would be to dive in headfirst and immerse yourself in the open source community. Start by exploring the official documentation and resources provided by the PostgreSQL project. Don't be afraid to ask questions on forums, mailing lists, or community channels – you'll be amazed at how welcoming and supportive the community is, especially towards those eager to learn. Attend local meetups or online events focused on PostgreSQL and open source technologies. These are excellent platforms for networking, learning from experienced professionals, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices.

How do you see the use of open source technologies evolving over the next five years?
Increased adoption across industries: Open source technologies have already gained widespread acceptance in the tech industry, but I expect their adoption to accelerate across various other sectors, such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government. As organizations recognize the benefits of open source, including cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and community-driven innovation, they will be more inclined to embrace these technologies in their mission-critical systems.
What considerations should be taken for the adoption and use of Postgres and related open source technologies?
If I had to pick 2 then - 1/ Community Support and Documentation: Evaluate the size and activity level of the community surrounding the open source project. A vibrant and engaged community is often a good indicator of the project's long-term sustainability and the availability of support resources, such as documentation, forums, and mailing lists. and 2/ Scalability and Performance: Thoroughly assess the scalability and performance capabilities of the open source technologies you intend to use, especially if you anticipate handling large volumes of data or high-traffic workloads. Conduct performance testing and benchmarking to ensure that the technologies meet your specific requirements. Then there are other considerations such as security and compliance, integration and interoperability etc.


Check out the full schedule for PostgresConf US 2024. Learn more about our conference here and buy your tickets soon!

Debra Cerda     April 16, 2024     speaker spotlight

We are pleased to announce a partnership between Redgate and PgCentral Foundation, Inc., to return Postgres Conference to Seattle! We’ll be joining forces in their brand-new venue -- the Summit at the Seattle Convention Centre (SCC) -- during this year’s PASS Data Community Summit (PASS Summit).

The PASS Summit team has been working to create a more collaborative environment between professional data communities. The new venue for 2024 allows the perfect opportunity to host our People, Postgres, Data community for the Postgres Conference: Seattle 2024 on November 6 and 7.

About PASS Summit

The PASS Summit has earned its reputation as the premier event for data security and database professionals. Since Redgate took ownership in 2021, the event has continued to offer unmatched learning opportunities, covering a wide range of data platforms including SQL Server, PostgreSQL, AWS, Google Cloud, and more. This year’s summit will take place in Seattle, from November 4-8, 2024, welcoming thousands of attendees eager to sharpen their skills and stay on the cutting edge of data management.

PASS Summit is not just about lectures and sessions –  it offers hands-on learning experiences, a vibrant community space, and networking opportunities with industry leaders. The event is known for its comprehensive sessions, keynotes by industry experts, and access to the latest tools and technologies that empower organizations to manage their data effectively. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned professional, there’s something for everyone.

For more details about the summit, visit the official website: PASS Data Community Summit 2024

Highlights from Postgres Conference Seattle 2024

Alongside PASS Summit, Postgres Conference: Seattle 2024 will also be taking place, making Seattle the hub of data learning in early November. Postgres Conference is the leading event dedicated to Postgres, an open-source database that has become essential for many modern organizations. This year’s event is powered by the joint efforts of Redgate and Command Prompt, Inc., and is priced at an affordable $599 through November 3rd.*

PostgresConf Seattle attendees will get exclusive access to certain elements of the PASS Data Community Summit, such as:

- PASS Summit Keynotes: Hear from influential figures shaping the future of data.

- PASS Ecosystem Sessions: Deep dives into data platforms and security.

- Community Zone: A space to collaborate with other professionals and expand your network.

- Exhibit Hall and Exhibitor Reception: Discover the latest tools and technologies from industry-leading vendors.

- Lunches, Refreshment Breaks, and Community Events: Plenty of opportunities to refuel and connect with peers.

 

This integration gives PostgreSQL enthusiasts a chance to engage in the broader data conversation while still enjoying tailored Postgres content.

Check out the event page here for more information on Postgres Conference Seattle 2024.

* Note: Postgres Conference: Seattle 2024 online registration closes November 3rd.  On-site registration will require the purchase of a PASS24 1-Day or 3-Day ticket, so don't delay!

Debra Cerda     October 11, 2024