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Mastering PostgreSQL Databases: From Basics to Advanced

Upgrading to a Newer Version of PostgreSQL

Understand the significance of PostgreSQL version numbers and the necessity of regular upgrades. Explore methods to verify your current database version and learn how to test compatibility, performance, and recovery after upgrading. This lesson guides you in performing upgrades safely while minimizing risks.

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PostgreSQL versioning

The PostgreSQL version number consists of a major, minor, and patch level. The format of the PostgreSQL version number is as follows:

Shell
<major_version>.<minor_version>.<patch_level>

For example, in version 9.5.25, the major version is 9, the minor version is 5, and the patch level is 25.

  • The major version changes when there’s a significant new release, with new features and incompatible changes.

  • The minor version is incremented with every new release that’s backward compatible.

  • The patch level is incremented with every new release with bug fixes, without introducing any incompatibilities.

PostgreSQL’s versioning system provides a convenient way to keep track of new features and bug fixes in each release. It allows users to quickly determine whether an updated version of PostgreSQL includes any updates or changes that might be relevant to them. Furthermore, the version number helps to ensure that users can ...