--- title: "Tuning max_wal_size for performance" publication: "Postgres Weekly" issue: 447 published_at: "2022-03-23" canonical_url: "https://postgresweekly.com/issues/447" --- Plus writing Postgres functions in JavaScript or extensions in Rust. | 🇺🇦 #​447 — March 23, 2022 [Web Version](https://postgresweekly.com/issues/447) Postgres Weekly [![\](https://res.cloudinary.com/cpress/image/upload/w_1280,e_sharpen:60/uu4e57imwmrvly2v6zsi.jpg)](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/database/profile-amazon-rds-for-postgresql-or-amazon-aurora-postgresql-pl-pgsql-code-using-plprofiler/) [Profiling PL/pgSQL Code on Amazon RDS or Aurora with `plprofiler`](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/database/profile-amazon-rds-for-postgresql-or-amazon-aurora-postgresql-pl-pgsql-code-using-plprofiler/) — [plprofiler](https://github.com/bigsql/plprofiler) is a Postgres extension that creates performance profiles of functions and stored procedures. While it can be used on any Postgres system, it’s available on Amazon’s Postgres platforms now and here's a look at using it (whether using AWS or not). Madiwale, Akula and Shaik (AWS) [![\](https://copm.s3.amazonaws.com/bbdb5a23.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDV_1Dz2Ixgl1nT_3DUZVFw) [5mins of Postgres - A New Weekly Video Series About Postgres](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDV_1Dz2Ixgl1nT_3DUZVFw) — Every Thursday, pganalyze CEO Lukas Fittl publishes a short video to comment on the most noteworthy Postgres content from the previous 7 days. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and enjoy tomorrow's episode of 5mins of Postgres. pganalyze sponsor [Tuning Postgres' `max_wal_size` Setting](https://www.enterprisedb.com/blog/tuning-maxwalsize-postgresql) — The `max_wal_size` configuration parameter sets the write ahead log (WAL) size that triggers a new checkpoint in the log and the setting can have a profound effect on performance, says the author. Dave Page (EDB) [How Sharding a Database Can Make It Faster](https://stackoverflow.blog/2022/03/14/how-sharding-a-database-can-make-it-faster/) — The author, an AWS Data Hero and undoubted expert in the topic of database sharding, looks at how sharding remains a common way to improve performance through distributing load. Not Postgres specific, though Notion recently had [a post about how they sharded Postgres.](https://www.notion.so/blog/sharding-postgres-at-notion) Trista Juan Pan **In brief:** - _PostgreSQL Day Poland 2022_, due to take place next month, [has been postponed](https://www.depesz.com/2022/03/16/pgdaypl-postponed/) given the situation till later in the year due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. - A look at [support for security invoker views](https://www.depesz.com/2022/03/22/waiting-for-postgresql-15-add-support-for-security-invoker-views/) coming to Postgres 15: _"A security invoker view checks permissions for accessing its underlying base relations using the privileges of the user of the view, rather than the privileges of the view owner."_ [Using pgTAP to Automate Database Testing](https://www.endpointdev.com/blog/2022/03/using-pgtap-automate-database-testing/) — Keep your pianoPostgres in tune with [pgTAP](https://pgtap.org/), a suite of database functions to help with writing TAP-emitting unit tests in `psql` scripts or xUnit-style test functions. Josh Tolley [Query Parameter Data Types and Performance](https://www.cybertec-postgresql.com/en/query-parameter-data-types-performance/) — Laurenz recently helped a customer solve a performance problem leading from a poor choice of query parameter type (when using JDBC) which, in turn, led to poor query performance. Laurenz Albe [6 Challenges Wix Faced While Building a Super CI Pipeline](https://buildkite.com/blog/6-challenges-wix-faced-while-building-a-super-ci-pipeline?utm_campaign=CPress&utm_source=ppc&utm_medium=CPress&utm_term=Super-CI-pipeline&utm_content=DevOps) Buildkite sponsor [Database Design: Using Documents](https://www.endpointdev.com/blog/2022/03/database-design-with-documents/) — It’s not the era of ‘NoSQL’ anymore but the idea of using a document model in database systems continues to offer some appeal. Luckily Postgres and JSON can give us access to a document-based approach while still remaining efficient. Emre Hasegeli [Installing Pgpool-II on Debian or Ubuntu](https://b-peng.blogspot.com/2022/03/pgpool-debian.html) Bo Peng **🔧 Code and Tools:** [PLV8 3.1: The JavaScript V8 Engine, But for Postgres](https://github.com/plv8/plv8) — Postgres’s extensibility means you don’t have to solely use PL/pgSQL for adding more functionality to your database – you could use, say, Perl or JavaScript, instead. PLV8 brings the latter into play. [Documentation.](https://plv8.github.io/) plv8 team [DBeaver 22: A Universal Database Tool](https://dbeaver.io/) — Written in Java, this is a long standing, open-source, cross-platform database tool for building and running queries, looking at tables, execution plans, etc. DBeaver Team [Directus: Wrap an SQL Database with a Real-Time GraphQL + REST API](https://github.com/directus/directus) — A Node.js-powered open source system that can act as a frontend to Postgres, SQLite, MySQL, Oracle, and other SQL databases, and provide a modern dashboard, client, and both REST and GraphQL APIs. Directus [PGX 0.4.0: Build Postgres Extensions with Rust](https://github.com/zombodb/pgx/releases/tag/v0.4.0) ZomboDB **Got a new email?** You can [change your address here](https://postgresweekly.com/edit_subscription/*|UID|*). --- **Bored of us?** [Click here to stop getting Postgres Weekly](https://postgresweekly.com/leave/*|UID|*). --- **Got a link for us?** Reply and tell us. We can't include everything but we'll look at anything you send. Thanks! --- Published by Cooper Press Ltd. Fairfield Enterprise Centre, Louth, LN11 0LS, United Kingdom Postgres, PostgreSQL and the Slonik Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of the PostgreSQL Community Association of Canada. [Stop getting this newsletter.](https://postgresweekly.com/leave/*|UID|*)