The Internals of PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is an open-source, multi-purpose relational database system that has been widely utilized globally. The database system consists of various subsystems, each with unique features working in unison. Grasping the internal workings is vital for managing and integrating PostgreSQL, yet its size and complexity pose challenges.

This documentation aims to elucidate the functionality of each subsystem and offer an overview of the entire PostgreSQL system. It covers versions 19-beta (excluding the buffer page lock mechanism) and earlier iterations. The Chinese translation was released in June 2019. The author, Hironobu SUZUKI, is a software programmer/engineer who has published seven books on databases and system integration, including four dedicated to PostgreSQL and three to MySQL.

He worked for various companies as a software developer and technical manager before becoming the director of the Japan PostgreSQL Users Group (2010-2016). SUZUKI organized the largest non-commercial technical seminar on PostgreSQL in Japan for over six years and served as the program committee chair for the Japan PostgreSQL Conference in 2013.

In June 2022, he was featured in "PostgreSQL person of the week." The Chinese version of this documentation was published in 2019 and has been cited in academic papers. If using the documentation, educational institutions may do so freely.