🔗 The only scalable delete in Postgres is DROP TABLE

Counterintuitively, large deletes add work to the database. Experience shows that scalable Postgres data-deletion strategies involve removing entire tables rather than executing individual row deletes. While small-scale deletes can be manageable, large batch operations lead to significant overhead without freeing physical disk space, causing impact on performance and replication processes.

DROP TABLE and TRUNCATE are recommended alternatives, as they scale better and free space efficiently. These methods bypass the issues of dead tuples and vacuum debt, which bog down traditional delete operations. In practice, a temporary table approach for retaining essential data during deletions is suggested, allowing for swift data management without prolonged locks. As partitioning capabilities improve with newer Postgres versions, structuring data to facilitate DROP TABLE operations can drastically enhance database performance, reducing latency and replication strain.