🔗 PostgreSQL 18 new features

Summary: PostgreSQL 18 introduces many new features including asynchronous I/O providing significant I/O performance improvements, virtual generated columns, UUIDv7 support, temporal constraints, and enhanced security. This overview covers the major features that impact developers and DBAs.

PostgreSQL 18 was officially released on September 25, 2025, marking one of the most significant releases in recent years. This version introduces fundamental changes to how PostgreSQL handles I/O operations, along with numerous developer-friendly features and security enhancements.

The release focuses on three core areas:

• Performance: Revolutionary asynchronous I/O and query optimizations
• Developer Experience: New features like UUIDv7 and virtual generated columns
• Operations: Better upgrades, enhanced monitoring, and improved security

Let's explore what makes PostgreSQL 18 a landmark release.

With PostgreSQL 18, we see a major shift in how the database handles I/O operations, particularly for read-heavy workloads. The introduction of asynchronous I/O (AIO) provides up to 2-3x performance improvements in many scenarios.