postgres/postgres


1996

July

The project started with the Postgres95 1.01 release, laying down a foundation that needed immediate fixes. Marc G. Fournier addressed a critical issue where table names could exceed 16 characters, breaking basic functionality. He also patched segmentation faults caused by null values in text files.

As contributors rallied around the codebase, they tackled various potential null pointer dereferences and made optimizations. Notably, Paul 'Shag' Walmsley and Bruce Momjian contributed significant fixes and enhancements, including improvements to pg_dump and the introduction of case-insensitive regular expressions.

The project soon saw a flurry of activity, merging patches and refining the code. Massimo Dal Zotto identified numerous bugs, from array field updates to handling NULLs, while Julian Assange integrated significant enhancements to the PQprint() routines, cleaning up and expanding functionality.

The focus was clear: fix bugs, improve stability, and enhance usability. Each commit was a step toward a more robust Postgres, reflecting a community committed to practical improvements rather than abstract vision.

Marc G. Fournier
Julian Assange
J
August

The project began with a focus on establishing a solid foundation for Postgres95, but early issues quickly surfaced. Marc G. Fournier introduced a newer expected.input file for regression tests and a README to clarify the testing process. He also adjusted the TEMPDIR to prevent conflicts with /tmp.

As contributions flowed in, the emphasis was on practical fixes. Bruce Momjian tackled multiple bugs, including signal handling and conditional compilation for TCL . D'Arcy J.M. Cain improved the handling of NULL values in queries, while Julian Assange addressed a memory leak in command processing.

Commit after commit revealed a pattern: contributors focused on stability and usability. The introduction of features like case-insensitive regex by Alistair G. Crooks and improvements to pg_dump mechanics by Bruce Momjian showcased a community dedicated to refining the user experience.

As the weeks progressed, the codebase became more robust. A significant patch from Bryan Henderson introduced better error messages and fixed issues with semaphores and shared memory. Each change was a step toward a more reliable system, built from the ground up through collaboration and careful attention to detail.

Marc G. Fournier
Julian Assange
J
October

The project saw a series of practical updates and corrections, largely driven by Bruce Momjian . He improved the creation of mkid files and cleaned up comment syntax, replacing double slashes with single slashes to avoid confusion. He also fixed compatibility issues by adjusting argument prototypes and enhancing assert checks.

Stability was the priority. Multiple commits addressed bugs and syntax errors, ensuring the system could handle more cases without crashing. Marc G. Fournier contributed by centralizing configuration defines in config.h, making the build process more transparent and manageable. He also cleaned up redundant include files, aiming to simplify the codebase.

As the commits piled up, the focus remained on practical fixes rather than ambitious new features. This methodical approach was crucial in refining the software, demonstrating that a stable foundation is built through diligent maintenance.

Marc G. Fournier
Bruce Momjian
Bryan Henderson
B
Vadim B. Mikheev
November

The focus shifted to cleaning up the codebase. Bruce Momjian started by removing the bsdi_2_1 port, which was an unnecessary burden. He then fixed related issues, ensuring that the system was streamlined and functional. Decoupling the ASSERT and DEBUG options was another practical change, allowing for more flexible debugging without cluttering the main code.

Marc G. Fournier took on the task of cleaning up include files, responding to feedback from Bryan Henderson . This wasn’t just busywork; proper include management reduces compilation errors and improves maintainability. Each commit added clarity, with dependencies laid out clearly, cutting down on confusion.

Bryan Henderson didn’t stop there. He locked down permissions for backend operations, ensuring that only superusers could perform sensitive tasks like COPY. This was a step toward a more secure system, addressing vulnerabilities before they became issues. Each change was about making the software more reliable.

Bruce Momjian
Marc G. Fournier
Bryan Henderson
B

1997

January

Marc G. Fournier started off by cleaning up the config.h, adding an isascii() define for the NeXT port. It was a small fix, but it indicated a growing need for better organization in the code. A few commits later, he removed outdated components like pg4_dump and zap_ltv, which had long outlived their usefulness.

As the project continued, Bryan Henderson introduced Irix-specific changes and fixed mismatched prototypes. His attention to detail ensured compatibility across platforms, which often gets overlooked. He also eliminated duplicate definitions that could confuse compilers, tightening the code.

Bruce Momjian led a series of bug fixes and enhancements, notably improving pg_dump to support views and adding options to various commands. His focus was on stability, tackling existing bugs and refining the system rather than chasing new features. Each change was a building block, emphasizing that a reliable codebase is the result of ongoing maintenance and careful consideration.

Bruce Momjian
Marc G. Fournier
Vadim B. Mikheev
Bryan Henderson
B
April

The project’s evolution is marked by a steady stream of practical improvements. Marc G. Fournier kicked things off by enhancing pgtclCmds.c, adding an optional string to the -assignbyidx key. This change allowed for more complex data structures, showing a responsiveness to real-world needs.

Next, Martin J. Laubach introduced a SET variable TO 'value' command in the parser, laying groundwork for future enhancements to timezone and date formats. His subsequent patch ensured that variables are correctly set at connection startup—an essential fix for user experience.

Thomas Lockhart contributed additional date and time functions, making conversions and manipulations more robust. He also integrated function overloading techniques, indicating a shift towards more flexible coding practices.

As the commits continued, Vadim B. Mikheev focused on bug fixes and optimizations, addressing issues in aggregation functions and index behavior. He streamlined several internal processes, enhancing performance and reliability.

Throughout these changes, Marc G. Fournier maintained a strong focus on code cleanliness and organization, implementing a template system for build configurations and cleaning up outdated files. His efforts to improve the build process and documentation reflected a commitment to usability and clarity.

This period is characterized by a strong emphasis on practical, user-centric improvements, with contributors consistently addressing both functionality and maintainability. The result is a codebase that is not only more powerful but also easier to navigate and use.

Marc G. Fournier
Vadim B. Mikheev
June

Marc G. Fournier began by patching support for NetBSD/sparc, signaling a commitment to broader compatibility. Shortly after, he addressed user requests by enhancing psql with commands \dt and \di, allowing users to list tables and indices more effectively.

A critical memory leak fix for pg_dump followed, courtesy of Igor . He ensured all allocated memory was properly freed, eliminating a substantial leak. This was complemented by further tweaks to the destroydb functionality, adding an interactive confirmation option for deletions.

Vadim B. Mikheev then refined the query optimizer, introducing checks for variable settings. His cleanups addressed compiler warnings and improved overall reliability. Meanwhile, Bruce Momjian focused on cleaning up pg_dump and improving documentation, ensuring users had a clear understanding of the changes.

The collective attention to detail and user feedback has steadily improved the codebase, making it more efficient and user-friendly.

Vadim B. Mikheev
Marc G. Fournier
Thomas G. Lockhart
T
Bruce Momjian
Edmund Mergl
E
August

The latest commits show a concerted effort to enhance both functionality and performance in the codebase. Bruce Momjian has been focused on stabilizing psort with multiple fixes, ensuring it works across all cases. He also streamlined the code to reduce unnecessary calls and cleaned up unused variables, which contributes to overall efficiency.

Vadim B. Mikheev has made significant strides in implementing constraints like CHECK and DEFAULT, which are essential for data integrity. His fixes address longstanding bugs and improve the handling of tuples in transactions, reducing unexpected behavior during operations.

Marc G. Fournier brought in the JDBC driver for better integration and made adjustments to build paths, ensuring compatibility across different systems. The consistent emphasis on cleaning up code and addressing edge cases reflects a commitment to both user experience and maintainability. The project is clearly moving towards a more robust and user-friendly state.

Bruce Momjian
Vadim B. Mikheev
Marc G. Fournier
September

The project is solidifying its foundation with a series of methodical updates. Thomas G. Lockhart has focused on enhancing data type declarations and refining parsing strategies for quoted strings. He implemented SQL92 features, including string handling functions and subselect structures, which improve compliance and usability.

Vadim B. Mikheev has introduced essential trigger functions for referential integrity, allowing for more complex data interactions. His work on cleaning up existing trigger interfaces and adding testing frameworks supports increased reliability.

Bruce Momjian has been relentless in fixing syntax errors and streamlining code readability, tackling everything from comment formatting to array handling. His commitment to cleanup and documentation ensures that the project remains maintainable and user-friendly, reflecting a clear focus on quality and performance improvement.

Bruce Momjian
Vadim B. Mikheev
Thomas G. Lockhart
T

1999

June

Tom Lane has introduced a configurable option for security checks in large object functions, addressing user concerns about flexibility. He also added a startup-time check to ensure that the backend settings are reasonable, preventing potential issues that could arise from misconfigurations.

Bruce Momjian has focused on documentation, updating FAQs and adding TODO items for clarity, while also refining the project’s build instructions for various architectures. His efforts contribute to a more user-friendly experience, even as he acknowledges the challenges of maintaining clarity amid ongoing changes.

Vadim B. Mikheev tackled critical concurrency issues, ensuring that transaction states are accurately managed to avoid errors. His detailed adjustments to the codebase reflect a commitment to stability, particularly in complex transaction scenarios.

Marc G. Fournier resolved inconsistencies in makefiles, ensuring that builds are consistent across different systems. His attention to detail helps streamline the development process, reducing potential frustrations for users.

The project is clearly on a path to improved functionality and reliability, with contributors addressing both technical and user-facing challenges head-on.

Bruce Momjian
Tom Lane
Thomas G. Lockhart
T
Vadim B. Mikheev
Michael Meskes
M
Marc G. Fournier
Tatsuo Ishii
Peter Mount
P
Jan Wieck
J

2000

November

The project is undergoing significant refinements, primarily driven by practical needs. Tom Lane made changes to ensure that results are consistent across platforms by adding explicit ORDER BY clauses where necessary. He also tackled issues with DROP TABLE, making it rollback-able, which is a crucial improvement for transaction safety.

Peter Eisentraut is fixing build issues, notably with GNU make, to prevent infinite loops during detection. He’s also enhancing user experience by implementing new command line options for setting run-time parameters and improving the handling of alternative database locations—no user interface changes, just better backend functionality.

Bruce Momjian is focused on cleaning up the code and documentation, removing outdated comments and ensuring clarity in the system's logging functionalities. Meanwhile, Vadim B. Mikheev has contributed by introducing automatic checkpoint creation, which is a step towards better performance and reliability.

These updates reflect a clear commitment to enhancing both functionality and user experience, with contributors addressing both backend stability and frontend usability.

Tom Lane
Peter Eisentraut
Bruce Momjian
Thomas G. Lockhart
T
Michael Meskes
M
Hiroshi Inoue
H
Vadim B. Mikheev
Tatsuo Ishii

2001

November

Bruce Momjian kicked off the recent changes with some code cleanup, removing clutter after closing braces. This kind of cleanup is necessary but often overlooked. Hiroshi Inoue then addressed a few bugs in SQLGetData(), improved timestamp precision, and separated ODBC 3.0 files. These fixes enhance reliability in data retrieval, which is crucial for user trust.

Tom Lane tackled more complex issues, fixing a core dump in plpgsql and ensuring that semaphores for checkpoint processes are accurately accounted for. His adjustments show a keen awareness of how small details can lead to significant stability improvements. He also updated error handling and logging messages for clarity, ensuring that developers can quickly understand what went wrong.

Peter Eisentraut focused on documentation, cleaning up formatting and improving the structure for better usability. Meanwhile, Barry Lind and Michael Meskes made significant contributions to support MD5 passwords and integrate patches respectively. These changes reflect an ongoing commitment to both backend stability and user-facing functionality, emphasizing the importance of thorough testing and documentation in software development.

Bruce Momjian
Tom Lane
Peter Eisentraut
Hiroshi Inoue
H
Barry Lind
B
Thomas G. Lockhart
T
Dave Cramer
D
PostgreSQL Daemon
P
Michael Meskes
M
Tatsuo Ishii

2002

November

The project is in a steady grind of refinements. Bruce Momjian kicked things off by updating the ports list multiple times, reflecting a commitment to keeping the project aligned with external dependencies. He also corrected errors related to the gcc patch, ensuring developers can rely on the build process.

Barry Lind tackled threading issues that emerged in beta3, fixing bugs in setNull() and improving error messages for closed connection objects. These changes enhance reliability in user interactions with the database.

Tom Lane focused on deeper architectural concerns, fixing planning bugs in hashed aggregates and ensuring proper handling of triggers. His efforts to improve logging and error handling are a reminder that clarity is crucial in debugging. He also tackled performance overhead by restructuring logical operations, showing how small changes in code can lead to better efficiency.

Overall, these updates illustrate a practical approach to software development—fixing bugs, improving readability, and refining features without losing sight of stability and user experience. There are no grand themes here, just diligent work to make the software better.

Bruce Momjian
Tom Lane
Peter Eisentraut
D'Arcy J.M. Cain
Barry Lind
B
Michael Meskes
M
Tatsuo Ishii

2004

January

The project is making steady progress, driven by a commitment to refinement and clarity. Tom Lane fixed errors from recent changes in handling hasoids, ensuring that the data types are managed correctly. He also streamlined the optimization process for table scans, which reduces overhead. These adjustments reflect a focus on making the codebase more efficient without complicating it.

Bruce Momjian added checks for fclose() failures, addressing a common oversight in error handling that could lead to silent data loss. He also clarified documentation regarding prepared statements and privileges, emphasizing the need for thorough understanding among users.

Neil Conway improved memory management in psql, standardizing allocation calls to avoid potential issues. He also contributed to documentation clarity and minor fixes, showing that attention to detail matters in both code and user guidance. The team's effort is simple: fix bugs, enhance performance, and ensure documentation aligns with the actual behavior of the system.

Bruce Momjian
Tom Lane
Neil Conway
N
Michael Meskes
M
Dennis Bjorklund
Jan Wieck
J
Peter Eisentraut
Teodor Sigaev
February

The project is steadily improving, with focused commits that address specific issues and enhance functionality. Tom Lane made length() ignore trailing spaces in char(n) values, simplifying the handling of string data. He also updated documentation to clarify this change. Consistent documentation is crucial—users need to understand the behavior of the system without ambiguity.

Bruce Momjian made several adjustments, notably setting the locale to C for sorts, which ensures consistent behavior across different environments. He tackled various Win32-specific issues, refining the build process and improving memory management. These changes are practical, aimed at smoothing out rough edges that can frustrate developers.

Neil Conway improved the code by replacing putenv() with Tcl_PutEnv() to avoid runtime corruption. He also fixed a memory issue in hba.c, demonstrating a commitment to reliability. Each commit here, while small on its own, contributes to a more stable and efficient system. The team is focused on the details that matter, keeping the codebase clean and functional.

Bruce Momjian
Tom Lane
Neil Conway
N
Jan Wieck
J
Joe Conway

2005

February

The project is refining its handling of input and error management. Neil Conway adjusted input routines for float4, float8, and oid to reject empty strings as valid input. This change is a straightforward correction that prevents confusion, as empty strings were previously treated as zero. Regression tests were updated to ensure consistency.

Bruce Momjian focused on enhancing documentation and clarifying usage for various features. He added notes about environment variables coming from libpq, improved warnings regarding the use of CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, and detailed the .pgpass file in connection parameters. These updates aim to reduce misunderstandings and guide users more effectively.

Tom Lane emphasized stability by adding regression tests for the stack depth checker and documenting the index access method API. These contributions help ensure that new features work as intended and that existing functionality is well understood. The team is zeroing in on practical improvements that enhance both user experience and system reliability.

Bruce Momjian
Tom Lane
Neil Conway
N
Teodor Sigaev
March

The team made several adjustments to improve the code's performance and reliability. Tom Lane reverted the logic in pred_test() to its prior state, clarifying the reasoning behind the change. This move was necessary after his previous attempt at cleanup inadvertently broke the handling of OR'd index predicates.

Bruce Momjian contributed minor but important updates to enhance thread safety in snprintf(), vsnprintf(), and printf() functions. These changes ensure that concurrent operations won't lead to unexpected behavior, a practical necessity in today's multi-threaded environments. He also streamlined type usage in snprintf() by opting for existing int64 and uint64 typedefs, cutting down unnecessary definitions.

Teodor Sigaev simplified the code for varlena types, contributing to overall code maintainability. Tom Lane further refined index scanning logic to avoid redundant operations with partial indexes, focusing on efficiency in query execution. Each commit addressed specific issues, underscoring the team's commitment to practical improvements.

Bruce Momjian
Tom Lane
Teodor Sigaev

2006

March

Tom Lane tackled a performance issue in plpgsql, ensuring it passes only one instance of any variable into SQL commands instead of duplicating them. This change addresses unexpected grouping failures and adds a regression test to verify the fix.

Next, Tom Lane improved error handling during XLOG replay by replacing a risky fixed-size buffer API with a safer, expandable StringInfo. This enhances clarity when errors occur and is a necessary step for maintaining system stability.

He also corrected a violation of MVCC semantics in index handling, focusing on partial indexes that previously discarded recently-dead tuples without justification. This change not only fixes the logic but also clarifies the code comments.

Further, he addressed a longstanding bug in btree xlog replay, ensuring that pages are read correctly even if they might not exist due to truncation. Disabling full_page_writes was also necessary due to potential crash-recovery failures.

Andrew Dunstan fixed a SQL error, while Tom Lane continued refining the XLOG API, eliminating duplicated code and improving organization. He also suppressed unnecessary stats reporting during recovery to prevent confusion, and lastly, began cleaning up the GIST XLOG code with plans for future refactoring.

Tom Lane
Andrew Dunstan
April

The project has seen a significant shift towards efficiency and clarity through recent commits. The removal of the 'slow' path for btree index builds by Tom Lane eliminated unnecessary code and improved initial catalog index sizes by about 10%. This is not just a minor optimization; it reflects a practical decision to focus on performance in static catalogs.

Bruce Momjian and others have been busy refining documentation and addressing user experience issues, from updating FAQs to enhancing logging behavior. This attention to detail helps users better navigate the system.

Tom Lane also tackled deeper structural changes, including fixing fundamental issues with domains and optimizing the way aggregate functions are defined. These changes are aimed at improving long-term usability and performance.

Overall, the focus has been on streamlining processes, enhancing clarity, and maintaining reliability, all of which are crucial for a robust software development lifecycle.

Bruce Momjian
Tom Lane
Neil Conway
N
Peter Eisentraut
Teodor Sigaev
Alvaro Herrera
Andrew Dunstan

2007

April

Tom Lane added support for scrollable cursors in plpgsql, allowing the use of the direction clause in FETCH. This change enhances flexibility in data retrieval, aligning plpgsql more closely with backend cursor functionality.

He also revised the way the plan cache stores cursor options. Initially deemed unnecessary, the change became essential with new SPI facilities that allow caching queries with non-default options. This adjustment is a straightforward acknowledgment of evolving needs.

Alvaro Herrera introduced multi-worker capability to autovacuum, enabling simultaneous execution of multiple worker processes. This upgrade means that autovacuum processes won't count against the max_connections limit, effectively optimizing resource management.

Tom Lane continued refining the codebase, addressing issues from erroneous column counts in documentation to enhancing pg_dump reliability. His focus on precise error handling and performance tweaks, like improving bitmap scan selection logic, reflects a commitment to long-term system stability.

Tom Lane
Bruce Momjian
Magnus Hagander
Neil Conway
N
Peter Eisentraut
Alvaro Herrera
Michael Meskes
M
Andrew Dunstan
May

The project made several important adjustments this week. Tom Lane fixed a bug related to inlining polymorphic SQL functions, which could lead to failures in earlier versions. This isn't just a minor tweak; it addresses a fundamental flaw in how the system was handling types during function calls. He also added a regression test to ensure this area gets the scrutiny it needs going forward.

Alvaro Herrera tackled issues in the new autovacuum code, ensuring it robustly handles worker entries that might abort due to delays. He also made the code clearer by using a new API for timestamp comparisons, which should prevent failures on platforms with low-resolution timers.

Magnus Hagander focused on build processes, creating a wrapper script to streamline installations and reduce unnecessary exported symbols, which shrank binary sizes significantly. Neil Conway corrected documentation errors, ensuring clarity for users. These changes illustrate a consistent pattern: enhancing stability and usability through careful refinements.

Tom Lane
Alvaro Herrera
Magnus Hagander
Neil Conway
N

2008

July

The project faced a series of critical adjustments this week, primarily driven by Tom Lane . He addressed a race condition in sinvaladt.c, ensuring that cleanup processes can handle the timing of lock releases without compromising message slot availability. This fix wasn't just about tidying up; it resolved a potentially disruptive flaw.

Bruce Momjian improved user experience in psql by adjusting when .psqlrc runs, ensuring it executes after warnings and banners. He also clarified Windows archive/restore commands, which is essential for user understanding.

Meanwhile, ITAGAKI Takahiro introduced a function hook for plug-ins around ExecutorRun, while Tom Lane continued refining the codebase. He ensured that cached plans reliably provide query source text, and he eliminated unnecessary complexity in handling raw tuples. The code is not just cleaner; it's also more reliable.

Magnus Hagander documented the requirements for building on MSVC, addressing user concerns directly. These changes reflect a consistent focus on reliability and usability across the codebase, essential for a robust software project.

Tom Lane
Bruce Momjian
Alvaro Herrera
Magnus Hagander
Peter Eisentraut
August

Magnus Hagander kicked off the latest round of commits by restructuring authentication code, moving ident routines into auth.c. This change simplifies the codebase by keeping all authentication methods organized. His follow-up commit further refines the layout, grouping functions by method and enhancing navigability.

Alvaro Herrera contributed DTrace probes to the backend, which aids in performance monitoring. He also ensured compatibility with Tcl versions lacking symlinks, addressing persistent build issues. This reflects a commitment to maintaining a robust environment.

Tom Lane made significant architectural changes to the query planner. He merged SortClause and GroupClause into a single SortGroupClause, reducing complexity. This was foundational for future features like hash-based grouping. He also resolved several bugs, tightened sanity checks on type sizes, and improved error handling during database operations. Each fix contributes to a more stable and efficient system.

Together, these changes show a clear focus on code organization, performance enhancements, and reliability in the evolving software landscape.

Tom Lane
Bruce Momjian
Magnus Hagander
Alvaro Herrera
Heikki Linnakangas
Michael Meskes
M
Peter Eisentraut
Teodor Sigaev

2010

February

The project saw substantial improvements driven by Tom Lane . He refactored the VACUUM FULL operation, removing the old implementation and streamlining the code. The new approach enhances transaction safety and aligns better with Hot Standby requirements. This isn't just code cleanup; it's a strategic shift that simplifies future maintenance and optimizes performance during catalog operations.

Bruce Momjian focused on user experience and documentation, clarifying behaviors in psql and improving high availability documentation. His changes make the system more intuitive for users, addressing long-standing issues that could confuse new adopters.

Contributions from Heikki Linnakangas and Itagaki Takahiro added technical refinements, such as improving psql tab completion and enhancing recovery processes. These adjustments, though incremental, collectively enhance the system's reliability and usability.

Overall, the commits reflect a clear focus on stability, performance, and user experience. Each change, whether large or small, contributes to a more robust and maintainable codebase.

Tom Lane
Bruce Momjian
Heikki Linnakangas
Magnus Hagander
Andrew Dunstan
Itagaki Takahiro
Simon Riggs
Greg Stark
Alvaro Herrera
Michael Meskes
M
Peter Eisentraut
Robert Haas
Teodor Sigaev

2011

March

The recent commits reflect a focused effort to enhance the database's reliability and usability. Robert Haas first addressed the walreceiver process, ensuring it can send a reply after receiving data without waiting for a flush. This is a return to a previous behavior that aids in maintaining performance during data replication.

Tom Lane then tackled collation handling in plpgsql functions, making significant improvements to how input collation is treated. By caching separate plans for each collation per session, he strengthened the consistency of function behavior. His other commits cleaned up various collation assignments, which, while mostly cosmetic, help prevent future bugs related to collation.

Bruce Momjian and Peter Eisentraut contributed to improving documentation and error detection, ensuring users have clearer guidance and better tools for identifying issues. These incremental changes, though small on their own, build a more stable and maintainable codebase.

Tom Lane
Heikki Linnakangas
Robert Haas
Bruce Momjian
Peter Eisentraut
Alvaro Herrera
Greg Stark
Simon Riggs
Andrew Dunstan
April

The recent commits show a consistent push for clarity, performance, and usability within the codebase. Heikki Linnakangas started off by fixing minor issues in error messages, which is often overlooked but crucial for user experience.

Robert Haas took on multiple tasks, addressing compiler warnings, enhancing support for comments on FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER and SERVER objects, and refining documentation for better user guidance. These changes don't seem flashy but eliminate confusion and improve the overall robustness of the system. He also tackled potential race conditions during smart shutdowns, ensuring a smoother operational experience.

Tom Lane focused on the intricacies of collation handling, making significant adjustments to ensure consistency across various scenarios. This isn't about adding new features; it's about solidifying the foundation to prevent future bugs.

The contributions from Peter Eisentraut , Bruce Momjian , and others reflect a collective effort to streamline the code and enhance documentation. Each commit, however small, plays a role in building a stable, maintainable, and user-friendly database system.

Robert Haas
Tom Lane
Peter Eisentraut
Andrew Dunstan
Alvaro Herrera
Bruce Momjian
Simon Riggs
Heikki Linnakangas
Magnus Hagander

2012

May

Peter Eisentraut began by refining the libpq URI parsing, simplifying how we handle Unix-domain sockets and percent-encoding. These changes clarify the interface and reduce potential user errors, even if they don't grab headlines.

Tom Lane tackled performance in pg_dump and pg_restore, eliminating O(N^2) behaviors. He replaced inefficient linear searches with indexed arrays, making the tools faster and more scalable. This isn't just about speed; it's about preparing for larger datasets without choking.

Next, he ensured that AbortOutOfAnyTransaction properly cleans up partial transactions, a detail that could lead to subtle bugs. Small oversights matter because they can introduce unexpected behavior down the line.

Heikki Linnakangas addressed an integer overflow bug in GiST buffering calculations, making the code more robust. He also improved the tracking of parent pages during builds, switching from a complex stack to a hash table for better performance and reliability.

Finally, Robert Haas fixed locking issues in fast-path relation locking, ensuring that concurrent operations behave correctly. These adjustments may seem minor, but they address significant stability concerns in a multi-user environment. Each of these commits builds towards a more reliable, efficient database system.

Tom Lane
Heikki Linnakangas
Peter Eisentraut
Robert Haas
Simon Riggs
June

Simon Riggs put in the work to enhance monitoring during checkpoints, adding interim statistics that help track performance without interrupting flow. This was a necessary fix after the separation of the checkpointer and background writer, ensuring users have the data they need when they need it.

Next, he optimized the startup sequence of critical components, making sure the checkpointer initializes before the background writer. This change prevents missed fsync requests, which could lead to data integrity issues during Hot Standby operations.

He also tackled btree page reuse that could lead to incorrect query results. By ensuring pages are only reused under the right conditions, he reduced the risk of silent errors. This fix addresses a subtle but significant issue in transaction handling.

Tom Lane focused on memory management, fixing leaks in ACL commands and enhancing error handling in contrib/xml2. These changes are cosmetic now, but they lay groundwork for future robustness. He also streamlined foreign key handling in line with SQL standards. Each of these commits adds up to a more stable codebase, emphasizing that small fixes can prevent future headaches.

Peter Eisentraut and Robert Haas made documentation improvements that clarify usage and enhance the user experience. These adjustments may seem minor but contribute to a more intuitive operation for users navigating complex functionality.

Overall, the recent commits reflect a commitment to foundational improvements—fixing bugs, refining performance, and enhancing clarity in both code and documentation. These aren't flashy changes, but they build a reliable and efficient system.

Tom Lane
Robert Haas
Peter Eisentraut
Simon Riggs
Bruce Momjian
Magnus Hagander
Alvaro Herrera
Heikki Linnakangas

2013

November

Tom Lane improved the error messaging around window modifications, clarifying a confusing aspect of SQL:2008 compliance. He made it easier for developers to understand why certain operations fail, adding a hint for a common workaround. This isn't just user-friendly; it reflects a commitment to reducing frustration during development.

Heikki Linnakangas undertook some GIN refactoring to streamline operations. By merging functions and reorganizing code, he laid the groundwork for future enhancements while increasing readability. These changes won't be noticeable now, but they simplify what’s to come.

Kevin Grittner made a small but important fix to ensure heap management is more reliable during regression tests, eliminating potential memory leaks. Meanwhile, Robert Haas addressed multiple issues in documentation and error handling, underscoring the importance of clarity in both user guidance and code stability.

The focus across these commits is on refining existing functionality, improving clarity, and preparing for more significant changes down the line. Each fix, while modest, contributes to a more robust system.

Tom Lane
Heikki Linnakangas
Peter Eisentraut
Michael Meskes
M
Robert Haas
Bruce Momjian
Kevin Grittner
Fujii Masao
Magnus Hagander
Jeff Davis
Andrew Dunstan

2014

December

Peter Eisentraut sorted the SUBDIRS variable in src/bin/Makefile. The previous order was haphazard, a result of historical randomness rather than any logical structure.

This change isn't about adding flashy features; it’s a simple but necessary step toward organization. When you have a clear order, it reduces confusion for anyone working on the build process.

Small adjustments like this can improve overall workflow, even if they seem trivial on the surface. A more structured Makefile can save time and prevent errors down the line.

Peter Eisentraut

2015

March

The project began with a simple code cleanup. Noah Misch adjusted when fls.o gets built, ensuring it only happens under specific conditions. This may seem minor, but it reduces unnecessary replacements and potential confusion in the codebase.

Tom Lane quickly followed up with fixes and cleanups around REINDEX SYSTEM, correcting error messages and documentation inaccuracies for better clarity. These adjustments weren't flashy, but they tightened up the user experience.

Fujii Masao introduced basic error handling improvements, while Heikki Linnakangas refactored some GIN index code to enhance readability and future maintainability. These changes are foundational; they make the code easier to understand without changing its outward behavior.

Throughout the commits, contributors focused on small yet critical enhancements, ensuring the system runs smoothly while laying the groundwork for future features. This consistent attention to detail is what separates a good codebase from a great one.

Tom Lane
Bruce Momjian
Alvaro Herrera
Andres Freund
Robert Haas
Heikki Linnakangas
Peter Eisentraut
Fujii Masao
Michael Meskes
M
Noah Misch
Stephen Frost
Tatsuo Ishii

2016

March

The project made significant strides in simplifying and organizing the codebase. Peter Eisentraut led the way by merging wal_level "archive" and hot_standby" into a clearer naming scheme. This change wasn't about adding new features but about reducing confusion for users and developers alike.

Tom Lane followed with several critical cleanups, including removing misplaced #includes and ensuring that psqlscan.l became standalone. These adjustments improved both clarity and maintainability, laying a solid foundation for further enhancements.

Robert Haas introduced direct modifications to foreign tables, allowing more efficient data handling, while Andres Freund focused on refining the waiting mechanisms in the code, addressing performance issues and eliminating unnecessary complexity.

The evolution continued with contributions from Alvaro Herrera and others, enhancing functionalities like pgbench and refining error handling in various components. Each change, though small on its own, collectively strengthened the project, emphasizing the importance of clarity and efficiency in software development.

Tom Lane
Andres Freund
Robert Haas
Alvaro Herrera
Teodor Sigaev
Peter Eisentraut
Andrew Dunstan
Simon Riggs
Fujii Masao
Stephen Frost

2017

January

The project took a significant leap forward with the introduction of logical replication by Peter Eisentraut . He added the necessary PUBLICATION and SUBSCRIPTION catalogs, along with the logical replication protocol and worker processes. This was a foundational step, enabling a more robust data replication mechanism without unnecessary complexity.

Tom Lane quickly addressed an Assert failure that arose from a misunderstanding of clause handling in the query execution. His fix not only resolved the issue but also introduced a regression test to prevent future occurrences. He followed this up by eliminating a core dump risk for empty prepared statements during aborted transactions, showcasing a commitment to reliability.

As the week progressed, Fujii Masao enhanced documentation and error handling around logical replication. Meanwhile, Robert Haas tackled several logic issues, fine-tuning comparisons in partition bounds and optimizing the autovacuum process to prevent needless respawning. These contributions emphasized the importance of clarity and efficiency, and each small fix compounded to improve the overall stability of the project.

The ongoing work from various contributors, including Alvaro Herrera and Simon Riggs , further refined error handling and improved documentation. In total, the week’s commits reflect a clear trend: a focused effort on improving the codebase’s robustness and user experience, which is essential for a successful software project.

Peter Eisentraut
Tom Lane
Robert Haas
Stephen Frost
Alvaro Herrera
Fujii Masao
Simon Riggs
Andres Freund
Tatsuo Ishii
Heikki Linnakangas
February

The project evolved with a series of focused improvements. Heikki Linnakangas initiated the changes by fixing some Perl scripts for unicode conversion, ensuring consistency in code style. This attention to detail matters because small inconsistencies can create confusion over time.

Next, he tackled a critical issue with the logtape code, preventing the creation of "holes" in buffer files. This change is essential for maintaining data integrity. He also replaced the outdated isMD5() function with a more flexible system for checking password types, preparing the codebase for future authentication methods.

Tom Lane made usability improvements to psql by ensuring control variables behave predictably, restoring expected functionality. He also reorganized the display of variables to alphabetical order, which enhances user experience. Robert Haas refactored replication commands to eliminate redundancy, simplifying the codebase. Andrew Dunstan clarified user connection limits by excluding background workers, addressing a practical concern for performance.

Each of these changes, while small on their own, reflects a commitment to clarity and efficiency in the software, which is fundamental for long-term stability.

Heikki Linnakangas
Tom Lane
Andrew Dunstan
Robert Haas
August

The project made some straightforward but necessary changes recently. Peter Eisentraut removed TRUE and FALSE, replacing them with true and false. This might seem trivial, but consistency in code improves readability and reduces confusion. He ensured backward compatibility, so existing users won’t be left in the lurch.

He followed that by addressing warnings in the PL/Python code. The proc->is_setof variable needed clarification, so he saved its value in a local variable to eliminate ambiguity. An assertion was also added to silence another warning. Clarity in code prevents future headaches, especially when dealing with complex logic.

Lastly, he improved PLy_elog() by adding compiler hints, similar to what was done with elog(). This helps both compilers and static analyzers understand when the function might not return. Each of these changes reflects a commitment to cleaner, clearer code and better development practices.

Peter Eisentraut
October

No activity this month.

Peter Eisentraut
November

The project has taken significant strides in improving its codebase, starting with Robert Haas 's addition of tracking types associated with PARAM_EXEC parameters. This change lays the groundwork for more complex functionalities, particularly around how data is serialized, which was previously a blind spot.

Subsequently, Tom Lane pushed forward the evaluation of target lists through Gather Merge, correcting an oversight from previous implementations. This aligns the functionality with that of the Gather node, enhancing performance and consistency.

Tom Lane also addressed usability in pgbench, allowing users to run specific initialization steps. This flexibility caters to varied use cases without compromising the integrity of the existing initialization sequence.

A set of refactoring efforts followed, with Alvaro Herrera simplifying the index_create API to use bitmask flags instead of numerous boolean arguments. This not only makes the code clearer but also facilitates future extensions.

The month culminated in various improvements to the handling of partitioning and memory management, ensuring the project continues to evolve with cleaner, more efficient code. Each commit contributes to a more robust foundation, paving the way for future enhancements.

Tom Lane
Robert Haas
Simon Riggs
Peter Eisentraut
Andrew Dunstan
Alvaro Herrera
Andres Freund
Dean Rasheed
Noah Misch
Magnus Hagander
Joe Conway
Fujii Masao

2018

July

Peter Eisentraut removed dead code related to foreign key optimizations. The previous mechanism, which aimed to skip unnecessary updates, was rendered obsolete after a prior commit made those triggers non-enqueueable. Keeping the checks served no purpose; they were redundant and added complexity without value.

Next, he expanded the application of existing tests for Referential Integrity (RI) triggers to include DELETE operations. This change not only boosts performance by eliminating unnecessary trigger calls when old key values are NULL, but it also reduces code duplication. The codebase is now cleaner and more efficient, with functions that do what they need to without unnecessary overhead.

Peter Eisentraut
October

Renaming indexes just got easier. Peter Eisentraut changed the lock mechanism for renaming indexes from AccessExclusiveLock to ShareUpdateExclusiveLock. This adjustment allows for more concurrency without sacrificing safety.

The old locking method was too restrictive. It prevented concurrent sessions from accessing the relation while renaming, leading to unnecessary bottlenecks. The new approach takes advantage of how the relcache handles changes, ensuring that concurrent operations can occur without disruption. As long as there are no lingering pointers to outdated cache entries, this method is safe.

This change is particularly relevant for workflows that involve concurrent reindexing. The ability to rename indexes concurrently can significantly streamline operations, paving the way for future enhancements like a built-in REINDEX CONCURRENTLY. The codebase now supports more efficient database management, without adding unnecessary complexity.

Peter Eisentraut
November

The project is evolving, with a focus on efficiency and clarity.

Tom Lane rethought the build changes for macOS Mojave, acknowledging that relying on the compiler's default -isysroot setting was often unreliable. The solution reverts to a global specification, facilitating easier overrides during builds. This enhances compatibility without adding complexity.

Next, he drafted release notes for version 11.1, ensuring they reflected the changes accurately. Stephen Frost made minor documentation improvements in the CREATE SUBSCRIPTION command, while Alvaro Herrera fixed partitioned index tablespace handling, ensuring proper management during index creation and operations.

Tom Lane also tackled character-type functions, addressing UTF-16 issues on Windows, which had caused unexpected errors. He made buffer adjustments to prevent crashes and improve functionality, showing that even small fixes can have significant effects.

The commits demonstrate a trend toward eliminating redundancy and improving code robustness. Each change is a step towards a cleaner, more efficient codebase, reflecting the team's commitment to continuous improvement.

Tom Lane
Andres Freund
Michael Paquier
Thomas Munro
Peter Eisentraut
Alvaro Herrera
Andrew Dunstan
Amit Kapila
A
Bruce Momjian
Andrew Gierth
Stephen Frost

2019

June

Peter Eisentraut tackled the issue of format specifiers for int64 and uint64. The previous reliance on workarounds was verbose and unnecessarily complicated. By adopting a consistent approach with sprintf(), he simplified the implementation. The change reduces clutter, making the code clearer and easier to maintain.

In another commit, Eisentraut removed unnecessary casts from size_t to int. Using the %zu format specifier directly eliminates the need for casting, streamlining the code further. This isn't just about tidiness; it reflects a broader goal of reducing complexity wherever possible.

These updates focus on clarity and efficiency. Each change is straightforward, but collectively they contribute to a cleaner codebase. The project is better for it.

Peter Eisentraut
July

The project is advancing with a series of pragmatic changes. Tom Lane kicked things off by marking the branch as 13devel, setting the stage for new features. Peter Eisentraut quickly followed, removing support for non-ELF BSD systems—an acknowledgment that this legacy was no longer relevant.

Michael Meskes made several adjustments to improve user experience, including making ecpg options case insensitive and fixing a memory leak that occurred during repeated function calls. These changes reflect a commitment to robustness and usability.

Michael Paquier streamlined the pg_dump tests, integrating authentication setups directly into node initializations. This reduces complexity and makes the testing process more efficient.

Tom Lane further refined the system by simplifying index display rules in psql, demonstrating a clear trend toward clarity. Each commit, while focused on specific issues, collectively enhances the project's stability and maintainability.

Tom Lane
Michael Paquier
Thomas Munro
Peter Eisentraut
Alexander Korotkov
Bruce Momjian
David Rowley
Tomas Vondra
Peter Geoghegan
Michael Meskes
M
Alvaro Herrera
Amit Kapila
A
Noah Misch
Robert Haas
Etsuro Fujita
E
Andrew Gierth
Andres Freund

2020

March

Bruce Momjian started with a placeholder commit, but it was Tom Lane who addressed portability issues next. He tackled linking libssl for SSL tests and modified the Makefile to follow better practices. This is the kind of groundwork that keeps projects on solid footing.

Andrew Dunstan made a necessary tweak to the ssl_passphrase_callback test, removing an unnecessary localhost listener that posed a security risk. It's an example of how small adjustments can have large implications.

Peter Eisentraut then introduced SQL functions for Unicode normalization, showing a commitment to compliance with standards. This was paired with enhancements to SaveSlotToPath() to avoid potential deadlocks, reflecting a focus on robustness and error prevention.

Tom Lane continued to refine the project, ensuring that plpgsql cleans up properly during parallel worker exits and improving performance for simple expressions, achieving a significant speedup. The trend is clear: each change is targeted and practical, driving the project towards greater stability and efficiency.

The commits illustrate a relentless pursuit of clarity and performance, where even minor issues are addressed with care. Each contributor's focus on pragmatic improvements signals a healthy development process.

Tom Lane
Peter Eisentraut
Bruce Momjian
Peter Geoghegan
Alexander Korotkov
Fujii Masao
Alvaro Herrera
David Rowley
Magnus Hagander
Dean Rasheed
Andres Freund
Amit Kapila
A
Michael Paquier
Jeff Davis
Andrew Dunstan
April

The project is evolving steadily with targeted improvements. Michael Paquier introduced a new -c/--restore-target-wal option for pg_rewind. This change simplifies the process of restoring WAL segments, making the rewind operation more reliable and efficient. The addition of a new routine for frontend tools enhances functionality without adding unnecessary complexity.

Next, Bruce Momjian tackled a small oversight by adding file completion for \gx in psql, ensuring that users have a smoother experience. Amit Kapila addressed a Coverity complaint about integer division, preventing potential data loss when converting types.

Michael Paquier further fixed a crash in psql due to null-pointer dereference when reusing old connections, reinforcing stability. Alexander Korotkov cleaned up documentation related to operator class parameters, ensuring clarity in the codebase.

Finally, Tom Lane improved selectivity estimation for matching operators, correcting a flawed approach that overestimated their efficiency. This is part of a consistent effort to refine the system's accuracy and performance, illustrating a clear trend of practical enhancements across the board.

Tom Lane
Peter Eisentraut
Fujii Masao
Michael Paquier
Bruce Momjian
Alexander Korotkov
Tomas Vondra
Amit Kapila
A
David Rowley
Robert Haas
Thomas Munro
October

The project has seen significant adjustments, particularly around connection handling and system robustness.

Tom Lane tackled the Windows stat() emulation, enabling support for file sizes over 4GB. This required a shift to GetFileInformationByHandle(), improving reliability and stability. A series of minor cleanups followed, addressing issues in win32stat.c and enhancing error handling in various modules.

Connection management also got attention. Tom Lane ensured psql could reuse connection parameters after a connection loss, facilitating easier reconnections post-crash. This was a pragmatic move, countering potential user confusion when parameters were lost.

Michael Paquier optimized Unicode composition speed significantly, achieving up to 40 times faster processing. The backend's performance enhancements reflect a consistent focus on efficiency.

Amit Kapila contributed to clarifying documentation and improving the handling of PostgreSQL's replication slots. His updates ensure better consistency in naming and functionality across the system.

Overall, these changes reflect a steady commitment to clarity, stability, and performance—an essential approach in software development.

Tom Lane
Heikki Linnakangas
Peter Eisentraut
Alvaro Herrera
Michael Paquier
Amit Kapila
A
David Rowley
Fujii Masao
Bruce Momjian
Thomas Munro
Andres Freund
Robert Haas
Noah Misch
Magnus Hagander

2021

March

The project made several practical enhancements this month, focusing on testing and performance improvements.

Peter Eisentraut added upper boundary tests for timestamp and timestamptz, correcting an oversight where only lower boundaries were checked. This ensures the robustness of time-related functionalities.

David Rowley introduced direct deletion in simplehash.h, making it more efficient by allowing users to delete entries using pointers rather than performing redundant hash lookups. He also addressed a compiler warning related to the unistr function to prevent potential issues.

Tom Lane refined pg_dump to preserve default toast compression settings for pre-v14 servers, aligning behavior with user expectations. He also worked on selectivity estimation, emphasizing the need for accuracy in query planning.

Bruce Momjian adjusted output formatting for negative time intervals to use singular nouns, enhancing clarity in messages. Alvaro Herrera improved the output format of PQtrace(), making it more user-friendly and aligned with documentation, while also adding support for testing it in libpq_pipeline.

These changes reflect a steady commitment to clarity and efficiency in the codebase.

Tom Lane
Alvaro Herrera
Peter Eisentraut
David Rowley
Bruce Momjian
Michael Paquier
Amit Kapila
A
Stephen Frost
Joe Conway
Etsuro Fujita
E
Noah Misch
April

The project has seen a mixture of reverts, enhancements, and critical fixes lately.

David Rowley first reverted the "Add Result Cache executor node" due to issues with tracking cache hits and misses. The buildfarm's instability during this period made it clear that reverting was the right move before more tests went red.

Later, Michael Paquier moved SSL connection checks from SSLServer to PostgresNode, clarifying the responsibilities of each component. This adjustment not only improved the code structure but also set the stage for future enhancements.

Amit Kapila ensured that concurrent aborts in decoding prepared transactions are communicated correctly, a subtle but important fix in transaction management.

Tom Lane tackled a long-standing bug in pg_restore, aligning the archive format detection logic, while also addressing various issues in SP-GiST, highlighting the ongoing effort to stabilize and optimize indexing methods.

These changes manifest a consistent pursuit of clarity and reliability in the codebase, demonstrating that each commit, whether a fix or a refactor, contributes to the overall integrity of the project.

Michael Paquier
Tom Lane
Fujii Masao
Tomas Vondra
David Rowley
Peter Eisentraut
Andres Freund
Amit Kapila
A
Alvaro Herrera
Peter Geoghegan
Stephen Frost
Heikki Linnakangas
Bruce Momjian
Joe Conway
Thomas Munro
Andrew Dunstan
Robert Haas
August

The project recently navigated a series of reverts and enhancements that sharpened its focus. John Naylor renamed unicode_combining_table to unicode_width_table, setting the stage for a broader use of the table. He then shifted gears, introducing a change to mbbisearch to return character ranges instead of just success flags. However, this proved unnecessary, leading to a swift revert of both changes after discovering unexpected behavior in Unicode data.

Amit Kapila tackled a critical issue with toast rewrites in logical decoding, ensuring that the system correctly handles transient heaps. This fix improved the reliability of logical replication, addressing a potential pitfall that could confuse users.

The clear trend here is a commitment to code clarity and correctness. Each change, whether a fix or a revert, reflects an ongoing effort to refine the codebase and ensure it operates as intended.

Peter Geoghegan
John Naylor
Tom Lane
Alvaro Herrera
Michael Paquier
Peter Eisentraut
Amit Kapila
A
Fujii Masao
Daniel Gustafsson
Tomas Vondra
Stephen Frost
Robert Haas
Noah Misch
Etsuro Fujita
E
September

The codebase has seen a flurry of focused changes aimed at improving functionality and clarity. Michael Paquier introduced PostgresNode::command_fails_like(), a utility for testing command failures that will simplify error checking in future patches. He also refined the elog.c file by ensuring all paths correctly utilize unpack_sql_state(), resulting in cleaner code.

Peter Geoghegan took steps to streamline VACUUM VERBOSE output by removing the unnecessary report of "pages removed," aligning it with user expectations. Amit Kapila tackled a random test failure related to subscription workers, enhancing error diagnostics for easier troubleshooting.

Tom Lane made several adjustments, including fixing the hash functions for floats to handle NaNs uniformly and addressing misleading comments about struct pg_tm. These changes reflect a consistent effort to enhance code quality and maintainability, cutting unnecessary complexity and improving user experience.

Tom Lane
Michael Paquier
Fujii Masao
Peter Eisentraut
Amit Kapila
A
Alvaro Herrera
John Naylor
Magnus Hagander
Heikki Linnakangas
Noah Misch
Daniel Gustafsson
Peter Geoghegan
Tatsuo Ishii
Tomas Vondra
Andres Freund

2022

February

The project has been refining its codebase with a clear focus on clarity and correctness. The change from Andres Freund to rename CCACHE_SIZE to CCACHE_MAXSIZE was a simple fix for an incorrect environment variable. Tomas Vondra corrected regression tests related to skip-empty-xacts, which uncovered a bug in how sequence callbacks were handled, improving the reliability of the tests.

Tom Lane has been active in addressing compiler warnings and cleaning up the code. He silenced warnings about uninitialized variables and made minor adjustments to comments for clarity. Peter Eisentraut improved the sanity tests by clarifying confusing correlation names, while also enhancing XML namespace declarations for consistency.

The focus on removing unnecessary complexity continues with Michael Paquier and Daniel Gustafsson , who cleaned up redundant checks in set-returning functions and ensured that memory handling is robust. This consistent push towards simplification is evident across many commits, reflecting a commitment to a cleaner, more maintainable codebase.

Tom Lane
Peter Eisentraut
Andres Freund
Michael Paquier
Heikki Linnakangas
Daniel Gustafsson
John Naylor
Amit Kapila
A
Andrew Dunstan
Peter Geoghegan
Thomas Munro
Robert Haas
Etsuro Fujita
E
Fujii Masao
Tomas Vondra
Alexander Korotkov
June

The project is moving toward a more intuitive and robust codebase. Tom Lane improved the documentation for psql commands related to large objects, ensuring that users know exactly what each command does. This kind of clarity is essential; lack of documentation can lead to confusion and errors.

Michael Paquier refined the pg_upgrade tests by ensuring they run in isolated directories, preventing clutter in the source tree. This change not only simplifies the testing process but also aligns with best practices for maintaining clean code. He also fixed a portability issue in psql tests, which is a reminder that code should work seamlessly across different environments.

Amit Kapila tackled various issues, including fixing stale values in partition mapping and ensuring that logical replication checks are accurate. Such meticulous attention to detail is what keeps the system reliable.

Peter Eisentraut and Bruce Momjian cleaned up the documentation and code consistency, focusing on clarity and accuracy. This commitment to detail aids both developers and users in understanding and utilizing the system effectively.

Overall, these changes reflect a consistent focus on clarity, reliability, and maintainability, key pillars for any successful software project.

Tom Lane
Peter Eisentraut
Michael Paquier
Bruce Momjian
Amit Kapila
A
Thomas Munro
Noah Misch
Robert Haas
Tomas Vondra
Magnus Hagander
Andres Freund
Andrew Dunstan
David Rowley
Etsuro Fujita
E
Heikki Linnakangas
Alvaro Herrera
July

The codebase is evolving with a focus on robustness and clarity. Thomas Munro addressed an unexpected EEXIST error in dsm_impl.c, which previously led to crashes. By treating EEXIST like other errors, the system is now more resilient, particularly on Solaris.

Michael Paquier improved the TAP tests for auto_explain by isolating log checks from query runs, reducing the risk of overlapping outputs that could invalidate tests. He also updated comments referring to deprecated functions, ensuring that the documentation stays relevant.

Peter Eisentraut made several adjustments, including simplifying array construction functions to eliminate hardcoded type attributes. This not only reduces redundancy but also aids future development. He also rectified socket path issues in pg_upgrade tests that were causing failures across buildfarm members.

Overall, the focus remains clear: eliminate confusion, improve error handling, and streamline the testing process.

Peter Eisentraut
Noah Misch
Tom Lane
Michael Paquier
Thomas Munro
Andrew Dunstan
Jeff Davis
Fujii Masao
John Naylor
September

The codebase is undergoing critical refinements, particularly with error handling and clarity. Andres Freund streamlined the process of building shared libraries on AIX, removing unnecessary steps that complicated exports. This brings AIX more in line with other platforms, reducing potential points of failure.

Michael Paquier focused on memory management in auth.c, ensuring that LDAP messages are freed correctly. This attention to detail, while not critical in every scenario, reinforces the importance of maintaining clean and efficient code. He also simplified handling of compression levels, fixing an issue that caused confusion during backup processes.

Peter Eisentraut made strides in consistency and clarity across the code, harmonizing parameter names and improving documentation. This is crucial for long-term maintainability, as inconsistent naming can lead to misunderstanding and errors.

The overarching theme is simple: clarity, consistency, and careful management of resources are essential for a robust software project. Each contributor is addressing specific pain points in the code, leading to a more reliable and comprehensible codebase.

Peter Eisentraut
Tom Lane
Andres Freund
Michael Paquier
Peter Geoghegan
John Naylor
Alvaro Herrera
David Rowley
Daniel Gustafsson
Amit Kapila
A
Robert Haas
Etsuro Fujita
E
Heikki Linnakangas
Jeff Davis
Noah Misch
December

The logic for selecting appropriate pg_bitutils.h functions based on word size now lives in bitmapset.h. This change improves visibility, making it easier for other parts of the code to access necessary bitmap functionality without digging through bitmapset.c.

John Naylor made this adjustment to enhance the code's usability. It’s a straightforward move that eliminates unnecessary complexity. The discussion around this change showed it was well-considered, receiving validation from Tom Lane .

This shift reflects a broader goal: making functionality accessible without overcomplicating the codebase. Each adjustment like this contributes to a clearer and more maintainable structure, reducing friction for future development.

John Naylor

2024

March

The recent updates focus on essential fixes and improvements, ensuring the code remains robust and clear. David Rowley kicked things off with a minor cleanup, removing a surplus trailing semicolon—an act of tidiness that prevents future confusion.

Thomas Munro introduced the --copy-file-range option in pg_upgrade, leveraging kernel capabilities for efficient file copying. This change emphasizes performance without complicating the user experience.

Michael Paquier made strides in error management, adding TAP tests for race conditions and fixing a parallel-safety check that previously led to potential failures in index builds. However, he also reverted some changes when they caused instability, a reminder that stability often trumps the desire for new features.

John Naylor contributed various enhancements, including helper SIMD functions for byte arrays and fixes for type specifier issues, reinforcing the code’s reliability. His addition of the adaptive radix tree template illustrates a shift towards more efficient data handling, a foundational concern for future performance.

Overall, these changes reflect a commitment to clarity, efficiency, and stability—a necessary balance in any evolving codebase.

Michael Paquier
Heikki Linnakangas
Jeff Davis
John Naylor
Tom Lane
Alvaro Herrera
Alexander Korotkov
Amit Kapila
A
Peter Eisentraut
Nathan Bossart
David Rowley
Daniel Gustafsson
Robert Haas
Thomas Munro
Dean Rasheed
Peter Geoghegan
Joe Conway
Bruce Momjian
Andres Freund
April

The latest commits show a steady focus on improving stability, clarity, and performance in the codebase. Tom Lane initiated the effort by fixing a series of bugs in the ecpg macro mechanism, addressing issues that could lead to memory errors and undefined behaviors. It's a reminder that sometimes the simplest fixes can prevent major headaches later.

Peter Eisentraut added some critical checks and documentation updates, ensuring that new features are clearly communicated and existing functionality behaves as expected. This ongoing attention to detail keeps the project aligned with user expectations and reduces confusion.

David Rowley enhanced memory context management, ensuring that the allocation of blocks is handled more efficiently. This kind of optimization is essential as the project scales, preventing wasted resources and potential performance bottlenecks.

As these changes accumulate, they reflect a commitment to maintaining a clean, functional, and efficient codebase. Each commit addresses concrete issues, emphasizing that good software development is about relentless improvement, not just adding features.

Peter Eisentraut
Tom Lane
Robert Haas
Daniel Gustafsson
Tomas Vondra
Heikki Linnakangas
Michael Paquier
David Rowley
Amit Langote
Amit Kapila
A
Andrew Dunstan
Masahiko Sawada
Alvaro Herrera
Peter Geoghegan
Alexander Korotkov
Andres Freund
Noah Misch
Nathan Bossart
John Naylor
Dean Rasheed
June

Amit Langote made a straightforward correction in the SQL/JSON implementation by updating some misleading comments. The comments incorrectly stated that functions like JSON_OBJECT() and JSON_ARRAY() were transformed into direct calls to user-defined functions. Instead, they are converted into JsonConstructorExpr nodes. This clarification removes potential confusion and ensures that developers have accurate information when working with these functions.

Such changes may seem minor, but they matter. Misleading comments can lead to misunderstandings in the codebase, especially for those new to the project. Keeping documentation accurate is just as vital as fixing bugs. This commit exemplifies the ongoing effort to maintain clarity and precision in the code, reinforcing the idea that good software development is as much about clear communication as it is about code functionality.

Amit Langote
July

The project evolves through a series of commits, each addressing specific issues or enhancing functionality. Alexander Korotkov fixed a typo in GetRunningTransactionData(), ensuring that the oldest running transaction ID is correctly calculated. This minor correction prevents potential confusion, highlighting the importance of precision in code.

Following this, Michael Paquier addressed user-facing failures by assigning proper error codes, which reduces misleading internal error messages. This commitment to clarity improves user experience significantly.

David Rowley optimized memory management in tuplestore.c, enhancing performance, especially with Materialize nodes. The result is a leaner memory usage pattern, which can lead to substantial performance gains. He also introduced memory usage metrics for Materialize nodes in EXPLAIN ANALYZE, making performance diagnostics clearer.

Tom Lane made enhancements to documentation and geometric data types, ensuring that developers have accurate and useful information at their fingertips. His attention to detail, alongside others, such as Richard Guo who refined join operations and Andrew Dunstan ’s improvements to test stability, illustrates a focused drive toward enhancing both performance and usability.

Each commit is a step toward a more robust and efficient project, emphasizing that good software development is about continuous refinement, not just new features.

Michael Paquier
Tom Lane
David Rowley
Andrew Dunstan
Nathan Bossart
Fujii Masao
Richard Guo
R
Heikki Linnakangas
Alvaro Herrera
Amit Langote
Andres Freund
Thomas Munro
Dean Rasheed
Amit Kapila
A
Jeff Davis
Noah Misch
Alexander Korotkov
Daniel Gustafsson
Masahiko Sawada
Robert Haas
August

Peter Eisentraut identified a flaw in systable_beginscan() and systable_beginscan_ordered(). They were overwriting scan keys, which meant that a caller could not reuse them safely. This not only introduced unpredictability but also cluttered the code unnecessarily.

He fixed this by creating a copy of the scan keys before making any modifications. This change ensures that the original scan keys remain intact for future use. Additionally, it simplified related code that had to navigate around the previous problem.

This commit illustrates the importance of maintaining clean interfaces in software development. Fixes like this might seem small, but they lead to clearer, more reliable code and prevent potential errors down the line.

Peter Eisentraut
September

The project is progressing steadily, driven by a series of practical improvements and fixes. Michael Paquier updated the extension lookup routines to utilize the syscache, which cuts down on costly catalog scans. This change boosts performance for extensions by making lookups more efficient.

Tom Lane tackled a potential crash by preventing a null pointer dereference in getpwuid_r. While rare, such failures can create chaos in production. Following that, Michael Paquier added callbacks for better control over statistics flushing, enhancing how the system manages memory usage.

Richard Guo corrected a parameter order in cost_sort, a minor fix that could prevent silent failures in query planning. Meanwhile, Amit Langote streamlined JSON processing by eliminating unnecessary steps when returning null values, improving performance for common cases.

As the team continues to refine the codebase, they are focused on clarity and efficiency, proving that thoughtful improvements often lead to substantial performance gains.

Nathan Bossart
Tom Lane
Michael Paquier
Bruce Momjian
Peter Eisentraut
Alexander Korotkov
Fujii Masao
David Rowley
Amit Langote
Richard Guo
R
Amit Kapila
A
Jeff Davis
Andrew Dunstan
Noah Misch
Tomas Vondra
Magnus Hagander
Peter Geoghegan
Alvaro Herrera
Robert Haas
Tatsuo Ishii
Thomas Munro
Masahiko Sawada
Daniel Gustafsson
October

The project is evolving through a series of pragmatic enhancements and fixes, reflecting a commitment to clarity and performance. Tom Lane introduced the "MatchAnyN" option in tab-complete.c, streamlining code readability and reducing complex conditional patterns. This simplification is a step toward cleaner logic, making subsequent commits easier to manage.

He followed this with a restructuring of the tab-complete.c code, preparing it for preprocessing. This change sets the stage for future enhancements while maintaining current functionality. The implementation of a switch statement instead of a lengthy else-if chain significantly improved compile times, especially on problematic compilers.

The focus on performance continues as Nathan Bossart tackled potential Y2038 issues in MyStartTime, ensuring that 64-bit integers are used consistently across platforms. This is a necessary precaution as systems approach the critical date in 2038.

As the team progresses, the narrative is clear: thoughtful refactoring and careful attention to detail are key to maintaining a robust and efficient codebase. Each commit builds on the last, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Tom Lane
Peter Eisentraut
Michael Paquier
Jeff Davis
Daniel Gustafsson
Heikki Linnakangas
Nathan Bossart
Alexander Korotkov
Peter Geoghegan
David Rowley
Masahiko Sawada
Fujii Masao
Álvaro Herrera
Noah Misch
Amit Kapila
A
Tatsuo Ishii
Andres Freund
Amit Langote
Richard Guo
R
Melanie Plageman
Thomas Munro
November

The latest commits show a push for practical functionality without the usual fanfare. Michael Paquier introduced array_reverse(), a straightforward function that reverses the elements of an array. It’s a simple but useful addition, inspired by array_shuffle(), and sets the groundwork for future array manipulation functions.

Next, Bertrand Drouvot added pg_memory_is_all_zeros(), consolidating several all-zero checks scattered throughout the backend. It simplifies the code, making it clearer and more efficient by unifying logic that was previously duplicated.

However, Michael Paquier later removed its use in bufpage.c. The new function turned out to complicate the all-zero check rather than simplify it, as it was less efficient than the original code. The decision reflects a focus on performance over adherence to new constructs. Each step taken here is pragmatic, highlighting the importance of assessing not just the new but also the old.

Michael Paquier

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