The document discusses the PostgreSQL ecosystem, which includes not only PostgreSQL itself but also the community of developers and wider industry that has been built around PostgreSQL. It notes that PostgreSQL provides stability through its regular release cycle and maintenance as well as extensions that add functionality. It also acknowledges some challenges faced by PostgreSQL from competing open source and proprietary databases. Finally, it emphasizes that the success of PostgreSQL is due to the partnership between the volunteer community and larger companies that provide funding for development.

1. The
Postgres
Ecosystem
8 Dec 2020
Simon Riggs
Postgres Fellow

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PostgreSQL → Postgres Ecosystem
• PostgreSQL is the World’s Most Advanced Open Source Database
• ...produced by the PostgreSQL Global Development Group (PGDG)
• A much wider industry has been created around these two things, which we
refer to as the Postgres Ecosystem

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PostgreSQL
Community Hackers

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PostgreSQL
Community Hackers are only
the most visible tip
of the iceberg

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PostgreSQL Stability
• Regular Annual Release Cycle
• Consistent Quality
• Backwards Compatibility
• Long Term 5 year Support
• Full Documentation
• Active Security Team
• Regular Maintenance

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Agility in the Postgres Ecosystem
EXTENSIONs
• PostGIS, BDR, AGE, Citus ...
Value Added Distros
• EDB Postgres Adv Server, Timescale ...
Forks
• Greenplum, Redshift, Aurora ...

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Postgres Challenges?
• Debate around types of Software Licence
• CockroachDB? - using the PostgreSQL wire protocol and SQL
• MySQL/MariaDB? - competing with the feature set directly
• MongoDB? - trying hard not to admit SQL is useful
• Redis? - trying hard to expand out of niche

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Postgres Ecosystem
• Postgres Ecosystem is wide, international and diverse
• PostgreSQL must look outwards to meet its challenge(r)s
• Code is the currency of Change
• Who writes code? Who pays for it?
#include “all_costs”
if (funded)
success++;

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PostgreSQL Committers
• Currently 29 Committers
• Around 32-35 people have been Committers in past 24 years
• About 26 out of 29 are full-time PostgreSQL professionals working for
companies that get revenue from PostgreSQL products and services
• About 18 out of 29 are full-time PostgreSQL developers

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PostgreSQL Committers at EDB
• Currently 29 Committers, of which 16 have worked at EDB/2Q (55%)
of which 6 Committers currently worked for EDB
• 19 people have become Committers since EDB/2Q started contributing
• 11 people have become Committers while working at EDB/2Q (58%)
• Next nearest company is NTT, with 3 Committers
• Across 15 years, EDB staff have shown long-term commitment to
funding the development of PostgreSQL and growing new talent

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Community & Industry in Partnership
• Community is made up of many individuals and smaller
organizations that contribute in a wide variety of ways
• Industry provides the funding for the heavy lifting
• PostgreSQL - The Partnership works!

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Supporting the PostgreSQL Mission
• Guardians of the World’s Most Valuable Commodity - DATA

13. Thanks!