PostgreSQL 16 improves the parallel query

PostgreSQL 16, the next major update to the open-source relational database, has reached a beta release, featuring improvements to querying, efficient replication, development capabilities, and security.

PostgreSQL 16 Beta 1 was published on May 25. The new release improves query response and query matching, enabling integration FULL and RIGHT connect and match the execution of string_agg and array_agg aggregate work. PostgreSQL 16 can use additional types internally SELECT DISTINCT queries, and improve the performance of multiple simultaneous downloads using COPY and 300%, the PostgreSQL Development Group said.

The PostgreSQL 16 release supports CPU acceleration using SIMD on both x86 and Arm architectures, including optimizations for ASCII and JSON string processing and temporary and limited searches. Property management is introduced for libpq, the PostgreSQL client library.

With proper replication, PostgreSQL 16 can create logical scripts in the standby environment, and provide many ways to distribute workloads. Efficient replication allows PostgreSQL users to move data in real time to other PostgreSQL instances or to other external systems that follow a logical process. The feedback process has also been improved. Sound control can now be done on a stand-by basis, providing more ways to delegate tasks.

For developers, PostgreSQL 16 continues to implement the SQL/JSON standard for handling JSON data, including support for SQL/JSON developers. The release extends the SQL standard ANY_VALUE aggregate function, which returns any random value from the aggregate set. Developers can specify non-decimal numbers such as 0xff and 0o777. And support has been added for an extended query protocol to psql the customer.

PostgreSQL can be downloaded from project website for Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, and Solaris operating platforms. Additional betas are expected as needed for testing, with the final release of PostgreSQL 16 due in late 2023.

Also in PostgreSQL 16:

• Support has been added for Kerberos delegates, allowing extensions such as postgres_fdw and dblink using authentication information to connect to other services. New security features are added for customers. And regular expressions can now be used in pg_hba.conf and pg_ident.conf files that match user names to the database. PostgreSQL 16 supports the SQL standard SYSTEM_USER keyword, which returns the username and confirms the installation of the session.
• PostgreSQL 16 introduces the Meson build system, which will eventually replace Autoconf.
• Highlights have been added including a pg_stat_io Check to provide IO statistics. A leaf cooling system has been developed to facilitate vacuuming and other maintenance operations. The custom support for combining words has also been improved.