Databases are a Fad

"PostgreSQL 18 is out (Sep 25, 2025) with a focus on faster text handling, async I/O, and easier upgrades. New async I/O subsystem speeds sequential scans, bitmap heap scans, and vacuum by issuing concurrent reads instead of blocking on each request. Major-version upgrades are smoother: pg_upgrade retains planner stats, adds parallel checks via -jobs, and supports faster cutovers with -swap. Smarter query performance lands with skip scans on multicolumn B-tree indexes, better OR optimization, incremental-sort merge joins, and parallel GIN index builds."

"Dev quality-of-life: virtual generated columns enabled by default, a uuidv7() generator for time-ordered IDs, and RETURNING can expose both OLD and NEW. Security gets an upgrade with native OAuth 2.0 authentication; MD5 password auth is deprecated and TLS controls expand. Text operations get a boost via the new PG_UNICODE_FAST collation, faster upper/lower, a casefold() helper, and clearer collation behavior for LIKE/FTS."

"If you need to grind through DSA problems to get your first job, then of course, do that, but if you want to prepare yourself for a career, and also stand out in job interviews, learn how to write tests. Testing is a skill you'll use constantly, will make you stand out in job interviews, and isn't taught well in school (usually)."

PostgreSQL 18 was released on Sep 25, 2025, focusing on faster text handling, asynchronous I/O, and smoother major-version upgrades. A new async I/O subsystem issues concurrent reads to speed sequential scans, bitmap heap scans, and vacuum. pg_upgrade retains planner statistics, supports parallel checks via -jobs, and enables faster cutovers with -swap. Query performance gains include skip scans on multicolumn B-tree indexes, improved OR optimization, incremental-sort merge joins, and parallel GIN index builds. Developer conveniences add virtual generated columns, a uuidv7() time-ordered ID generator, and expanded RETURNING behavior. Security gains include native OAuth 2.0, MD5 deprecation, and expanded TLS controls. Learning to write tests provides lasting career value and better code than focusing only on DSA practice.

Read at Pythonbytes