# Deadlocks and downtime

DevFeed: [Deadlocks and downtime](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/deadlocks-and-downtime-2323.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://planetscale.com/blog/deadlocks-and-downtime>)

Author: Simeon Griggs

Published: 2026-07-08T00:00:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Blog -- PlanetScale](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/blog-planetscale.md>)

Topics: [Database](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/database.md>), [Deadlock](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/deadlock.md>), [Transactions](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/transactions.md>), [Concurrency](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/concurrency.md>), [Concurrent Programming](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/concurrent-programming.md>)

Tags: [database](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/database.md>), [deadlock](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/deadlock.md>), [engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/engineering.md>), [errors](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/errors.md>), [how-to](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/how-to.md>), [learn](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/learn.md>), [postgres](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/postgres.md>), [reduce](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/reduce.md>), [transactions](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/transactions.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains how Postgres deadlocks arise when concurrent transactions hold locks that each other needs, and how those deadlocks can escalate into database downtime. It examines the effects of high query volume and immediate retry loops, then recommends consistent row-update ordering, smaller transactions, and late locking to reduce the risk.

## Source excerpt

Deadlocks happen when transactions block each other. Learn how they escalate into downtime, how to reduce them through better queries and retry logic, and how Traffic Control can protect your database from your application.