Performance tools
Tune and optimize PostgreSQL performance
PostgreSQL ships with conservative default settings designed to run on minimal hardware. A freshly installed PostgreSQL instance uses only 128 MB of shared buffers and 4 MB of work memory — settings that virtually guarantee poor performance on modern servers with gigabytes of RAM and fast SSDs.
Effective tuning requires understanding how PostgreSQL uses memory (shared buffers for caching, work_mem for sorts and hash joins, maintenance_work_mem for vacuum and index builds), how the query planner makes cost-based decisions (random_page_cost, effective_cache_size, default_statistics_target), and how autovacuum keeps statistics fresh and prevents bloat.
The biggest performance gains typically come from three areas: correct shared_buffers sizing (usually 25% of RAM), appropriate work_mem for your workload (too low causes disk sorts, too high risks OOM with many connections), and properly configured autovacuum (the defaults are often too conservative for tables that receive heavy writes). These tools help you generate tuned configurations based on your hardware and workload, and diagnose autovacuum issues before they become performance emergencies.
Common problems
- Default shared_buffers (128 MB) wasting available RAM
- Autovacuum not keeping up with write-heavy tables, causing bloat
- Too many connections exhausting memory (each connection uses work_mem)
- Missing or outdated table statistics leading to bad query plans
- Disk-based sorts due to insufficient work_mem
postgresql.conf tuner
Describe your hardware, workload type, and PostgreSQL version to get expert-tuned postgresql.conf settings with explanations.
Try it free →Autovacuum & vacuum tuner
Describe your vacuum or bloat problem and get expert autovacuum tuning, bloat remediation strategies, and wraparound prevention guidance.
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