Postgres is a powerful and feature-rich database, but like any system, it has certain limits that are good to be aware of. In this post, we'll take a look at a few interesting limits in Postgres.
63 Character Limit on Identifiers
Postgres has a limit of 63 characters for identifiers such as table names, column names, and function names. This is a common limit across many database systems and helps ensure efficient storage and processing.Maximum Number of Function Arguments
Postgres allows up to 100 arguments to be passed to a function. This generous limit should be sufficient for most use cases, but it's good to keep in mind if you're working with particularly complex functions.Index and Partition Key Limits
Postgres has a limit of 32 columns that can be included in an index, including INCLUDE columns. Similarly, the maximum number of columns in a partition key is also 32. These limits help maintain efficient index and partition management.Table Column Limit
Postgres tables cannot have more than 1600 columns. While it's unlikely you'll ever need a table with that many columns, it's good to know the upper bound.Query Planning Optimization
Postgres will generate custom query plans until it has done at least 5 planning attempts before choosing a cheaper generic plan. This helps ensure that Postgres explores various planning options to find the most efficient execution strategy.These are just a few of the interesting limits in Postgres. As you work with the database, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with these and other limits to ensure your application is designed and optimized accordingly.
For more information, you can check the Postgres documentation.
Disclaimer: This blog post is partially generated by AI.
