PostgreSQL is incredibly powerful out of the box, but default configurations are designed for compatibility, not performance. Here is how to tune PostgreSQL for production workloads.
Memory Configuration
- shared_buffers: Set to 25% of total RAM (e.g., 4GB for a 16GB server)
- effective_cache_size: Set to 75% of total RAM (12GB for 16GB)
- work_mem: 256MB-1GB depending on query complexity (be careful -- this is per-operation)
- maintenance_work_mem: 1-2GB for faster VACUUM and index operations
Query Optimization
- Use EXPLAIN ANALYZE to understand query execution plans
- Create indexes on columns used in WHERE, JOIN, and ORDER BY clauses
- Use partial indexes for filtered queries
- Consider covering indexes (INCLUDE) to avoid table lookups
Vacuum and Autovacuum
PostgreSQL's MVCC architecture requires regular vacuuming to reclaim dead tuples. Tune autovacuum to be more aggressive for high-write tables.