My take
Why I use PostgreSQL
Postgres is the safe default for almost every project I start. Strong consistency, JSONB when I need flexibility, full-text search built in, pgvector for embeddings - I rarely outgrow it, and when I do, I usually shouldn't have.
Want the broader stack philosophy? Read about how Sri picks tools or browse engineering insights.
Honest assessment
Strengths & tradeoffs
No tool is perfect. Here's what shines and what to watch for.
Strengths
- Mature ACID guarantees and rich SQL support
- JSONB combines relational and document patterns
- Extensions: pgvector, PostGIS, TimescaleDB
- Excellent query planner and indexing options
- Massive ecosystem and tooling
Tradeoffs (honestly)
- Vertical scaling limits without sharding solutions
- Default configs are conservative - needs tuning at scale
- Replication setup has historically been complex
- Schema migrations require care on hot tables
Fit assessment
When to reach for PostgreSQL
Pick the right tool for the job.
Best fits
Primary OLTP databases for SaaS apps
Multi-tenant systems using row-level security
Apps mixing relational and JSON data
Vector search via pgvector
Analytics on small-to-medium datasets
Not ideal for
Massive horizontal write scale - consider distributed SQL
Pure key-value workloads - use Redis
Wide-column analytics over petabytes
Common use cases
Resources
Learn more
Curated official docs, tutorials, and writing on PostgreSQL.
Services
Where I apply PostgreSQL
Engagements where this technology shows up regularly.
Data Engineering
Modern data infrastructure that actually gets used. I build data pipelines, warehouses, and analytics platforms that transform raw data into business intelligence.
System Architecture
Strategic technical architecture that balances innovation with pragmatism. I help teams make foundational decisions that compound over time-from monolith to microservices, and everything in between.
Case Studies
PostgreSQL in production
Real engagements where this technology shaped the outcome.
Fintech Platform Modernization
Architectural transformation of a payment processing platform from a struggling monolith to a scalable, compliant services architecture.
SaaS Platform Performance Overhaul
Complete performance overhaul of a B2B SaaS platform that was losing customers due to slow load times and reliability issues.
Browse the full case study archive.
Applications
Solutions using PostgreSQL
See how this technology is applied in real-world solutions.
Stack
Pairs well with PostgreSQL
Tools and platforms I commonly combine with this one.
Databases
More in this category
Where data lives - relational, document, in-memory, and vector.
Need help with PostgreSQL?
Whether you're starting fresh or optimizing an existing implementation, I can help you get the most out of this technology. Read more in insights or get in touch.