PostgreSQL in The Big Apple

For the first time we have a guest writer, Emma Saroyan.

Discovering PostgreSQL - My Journey

I recently traveled from Armenia to New York City to speak at PGConf NYC 2024, organized by PgUS. PostgreSQL, originally called Postgres, is the #1 open source relational database in the world. I gave a talk about my journey into discovering Postgres, and it was an inspiring experience engaging with the PostgreSQL community, sharing insights, and learning about the latest advancements in the field.

The 3-day conference, held from September 30 to October 2, 2024, at Convene 237 Park Avenue in New York City, welcomed hundreds of attendees from across the US and around the world.

The speakers shared insights on their lessons learned in the Postgres world, along with the latest developments in PostgreSQL’s security, performance, new features, best practices, challenges, community, and more.

Some of the world’s largest software companies, including Microsoft, Google, AWS, and Fujitsu were present at the conference. They are heavily invested in PostgreSQL, making its adoption a great success in the global database market.

Many companies are migrating from alternative database platforms to PostgreSQL due to its free and open-source nature. Companies like EDB, Percona, Citadel, pganalyze, Notion, and Xata showcased prominent use cases for PostgreSQL in areas such as financial services, analytics, and AI. These examples highlight not only why PostgreSQL is the top choice among open-source databases, but also reflect how its strong, collaborative community is a key factor in its widespread adoption.

With over 35 years of active development, PostgreSQL has become the world’s most advanced open source database, excelling in various areas and supported by a vibrant, dedicated community that continuously drives its growth and innovation. There are a number of ways to get involved in the Postgres community: user groups, submitting patches, documentation, events, conferences, blogs, and mailing lists!

One of the most inspiring moments for me was meeting Bruce Momjian, co-founder and core team member of the PostgreSQL Global Development Group, who has been contributing to PostgreSQL since 1996. As an active figure in the global Postgres community and author of the book PostgreSQL: Introduction and Concepts, published by Addison-Wesley, Bruce’s contributions are inspiring. As a fellow Armenian, coming from a small country to the Big Apple, I felt a deep connection to my roots through connecting with him. I look forward to coming back to this conference next year!

Check out my latest book about Generative AI.

---

Author: Emma Saroyan