autovacuum

Nik and Michael discuss autovacuum, including what it does, and the basics of why and how to tune it.

Here are some links to things they mentioned:

• autovacuum https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/routine-vacuuming.html#AUTOVACUUM
• autovacuum configuration parameters https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/runtime-config-vacuum.html#RUNTIME-CONFIG-AUTOVACUUM
• What’s Missing in Postgres? (our episode with Bruce Momjian) https://postgres.fm/episodes/what-s-missing-in-postgres
• pg_squeeze (our episode with Antonín Houska) https://postgres.fm/episodes/pg_squeeze
• My queries to monitor autovacuum (post by Laurenz Albe) https://www.cybertec-postgresql.com/en/monitor-autovacuum-my-queries/
• Autovacuum Tuning Basics (post by Tomas Vondra, originally for 2nd Quadrant blog) https://www.enterprisedb.com/blog/autovacuum-tuning-basics
• Zero autovacuum_vacuum_cost_delay, Write Storms, and You (post by Jeremy Schneider) https://ardentperf.com/2026/04/12/zero-autovacuum_cost_delay-write-storms-and-you/
• Our episode on long-running transactions / xmin horizon https://postgres.fm/episodes/long-running-transactions

~~~
What did you like or not like? What should we discuss next time? Let us know via a YouTube comment, on social media, or by commenting on our Google doc!

~~~
Postgres FM is produced by:

• Michael Christofides, founder of pgMustard
• Nikolay Samokhvalov, founder of Postgres.ai

With credit to:

• Jessie Draws for the elephant artwork