# PostgreSQL's Future Lies in Its Extension Ecosystem

DevFeed: [PostgreSQL's Future Lies in Its Extension Ecosystem](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/the-future-of-postgres-41231.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.craigkerstiens.com/2024/10/18/The-future-of-Postgres/>)

Author: Map

Published: 2024-10-18T16:50:56Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Craig Kerstiens](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/craig-kerstiens.md>)

Topics: [Extension](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/extension.md>), [Databases](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/databases.md>), [Microsoft](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/microsoft.md>)

Tags: [cache](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cache.md>), [cloud](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cloud.md>), [databases](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/databases.md>), [debugging](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/debugging.md>), [distributed](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/distributed.md>), [extension](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/extension.md>), [performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/performance.md>), [postgres](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/postgres.md>), [search](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/search.md>), [time-series](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/time-series.md>)

## AI overview

The article argues that PostgreSQL's stability and reliability come from its stable core, while new capabilities are added through extensions. It surveys extensions including pg_stat_statements, auto_explain, pg_prewarm, Citus, pg_search, and pg_cron, describing uses such as performance monitoring, distributed databases, full-text search, caching, and scheduled jobs.

## Source excerpt

I'm often asked what do I think the future for Postgres holds, and my answer has been mostly the same for probably 8 years now, maybe even longer. You see for Postgres itself stability and reliability is core. So where does the new stuff come from if it's not in the stable core... extensions. Extensions within Postgres are unlike most other databases allowing you to modify or well extend the standard Postgres behavior. You can build other storage backends, new types, etc. Postgres itself ships with a number of extensions within the "contrib". The list of contrib extensions hasn't changed any time recently, but even contrib is a small sampling of what is possible. Beyond core there is a whole world of extensions, I want dig into just a smalls sampling starting with a few in core... pg_stat_statements is to me the most useful extension that exists. It records what queries were run, how long they took, and a number of other details about the queries. A key extension for managing performance of your database. auto_explain another one in contrib that is helpful for performance. For queries that run over a certain period of time will automatically log the explain plan-helpful for performance debugging. pg_prewarm useful to prewarming the cache ahead of a failover. Let's jump out of contrib a little bit now. Of course that isn't everything that ships with Postgres there is more, explore for yourself. Citus is one of the (to date) more advanced extensions ever created. Citus turns postgres into a sharded, distributed, horizontally scalable database. Citus is especially built to work well for B2B style multi-tenant apps, and now after being acquired years ago part of Microsoft. Pg_search extends Postgres to support elastic-quality full text search directly within Postgres. I often say Postgres can do just about everything and be pretty capable. Things like time series and search it's about 80% as good of some of the best in class options out there, but pg_search takes it further