Postgres Cancelled It's Best New Feature
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Author: Better Stack · Watch on YouTube
Video authored by the channel shown, not by IANIA; all rights belong to the creator. Transcript and summary generated automatically; the original-language content is preserved.
Original language: English
Original video: Postgres Cancelled It’s Best New Feature · Channel: Better Stack · 00:31 · Watch on YouTube
Topics: Data, databases and embeddings, Software engineering with AI, AI models
Summary
Section titled “Summary”Postgres 19 removed graph queries from its planned release after the feature’s commits and fixes were taken out over design issues that were considered too late to address. Graph queries would have let users query data like a graph instead of relying on complex joins. The change contributed to release delays, and the scope of another feature, alter table merge split partition and repack, was heavily reduced. The speaker applauds the Postgres team for avoiding the release of buggy software.
Key points
Section titled “Key points”- Postgres 19 canceled graph queries after design issues emerged.
- The graph-query commits and fixes were removed in September.
- The stated reason was that the design issues were too late to address in the release cycle.
- Graph queries would let users query data as a graph rather than use complex joins.
- The cancellation contributed to delays in the Postgres release.
- The scope of alter table merge split partition and repack was heavily reduced.
- The speaker supports the team’s decision not to release potentially buggy software.
- The video concludes that building high-quality software remains difficult, even with AI.
Chapters
Section titled “Chapters”| Start | Chapter | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | Postgres 19 drops graph queries | The video explains what graph queries would do and why their commits and fixes were removed from the planned release. |
| 00:31 | Release impact and the decision to delay | The speaker describes the release delays, the reduced scope of another feature, and why they applaud the team for avoiding buggy software. |
Quotes
Section titled “Quotes”Postgres 19 just canceled one of the biggest new features due to a massive bug — 00:00
These allow you to query your data as if you’re using a graph rather than using complex joins. — 00:00
multiple design issues which are too late to address in the release cycle. — 00:00
I actually applaud the Postgres team for doing this rather than just releasing buggy software to the world — 00:31
Concepts and entities
Section titled “Concepts and entities”Postgres 19, PostgreSQL, graph queries, ALTER TABLE MERGE/SPLIT PARTITION AND REPACK, Better Stack
Full transcript (original language)
Section titled “Full transcript (original language)”00:00 Postgres 19 just canceled one of the biggest new features due to a massive bug, and let me explain. The next major release of Postgres was due to launch with some incredible new features including graph queries. These allow you to query your data as if you’re using a graph rather than using complex joins. But then earlier in September, all of the commits for graph queries including all of the fixes were completely removed with comments stating multiple design issues which are too late to address in the release cycle. Now, this was a feature we already covered in a video just a few weeks ago, so I was really
00:31 excited to see in the official release. This has caused delays to the release including a second canceled feature alter table merge split partition and repack having its scope heavily reduced. I actually applaud the Postgres team for doing this rather than just releasing buggy software to the world because even with AI, it turns out building good quality software is still really hard. And if you want to stay up to date with tech and AI news, then subscribe to Better Stack.