Question: What is the difference between a PostgreSQL cluster and an instance?
Answer
In PostgreSQL, the terms "cluster" and "instance" are often used interchangeably in general database discussions, but they have distinct meanings within the context of PostgreSQL that are important to understand.
PostgreSQL Instance
A PostgreSQL instance refers to a single running postgres process on a host machine. This process can manage multiple databases. It is started with a specific data directory (PGDATA) which contains all the files, databases, and configurations specific to that instance. The instance is where PostgreSQL's background processes operate, including handling queries, transactions, and connections.
PostgreSQL Cluster
The term cluster, in PostgreSQL, does not refer to multiple servers working together (as it might in some other database systems). Instead, a PostgreSQL cluster refers to a collection of databases that are managed by a single PostgreSQL instance. These databases share the same PostgreSQL instance configuration settings and are stored in the same file system structure. Within a cluster, databases can share access to common resources like roles, extensions, and background workers, but each maintains its own set of tables, views, and other data objects.
Key Differences
- Granularity: An instance is a broader concept as it includes the server process and the environment in which databases operate. A cluster refers specifically to the group of databases managed by one instance.
- Scalability: While PostgreSQL does not use clusters for horizontal scaling across multiple machines (you would need external tools like Citus or Postgres-XL for this), managing multiple clusters can help isolate and manage resources more effectively within the same PostgreSQL setup on a single server.
- Configuration: System-level settings are configured at the instance level (postgresql.conf, pg_hba.conf), affecting all clusters within that instance. Meanwhile, operational aspects like database creation and user permissions are managed at the cluster level.
Understanding these distinctions is crucial when planning database architectures, performing backups, setting up replication, or configuring multi-tenant environments in PostgreSQL.
Was this content helpful?
Other Common PostgreSQL Questions (and Answers)
- How do you manage Postgres replication lag?
- How can I limit the number of rows updated in a PostgreSQL query?
- How does sharding work in PostgreSQL?
- How do you limit the number of rows deleted in PostgreSQL?
- How do you use the PARTITION OVER clause in PostgreSQL?
- What are PostgreSQL replication slots and how do they work?
- How can you partition an existing table in PostgreSQL?
- How do you partition a table by multiple columns in PostgreSQL?
- How do you check the replication status in PostgreSQL?
- What are the scaling limits of PostgreSQL?
- How do you scale Azure PostgreSQL?
- How do you use the limit clause in PostgreSQL to get the top N rows of a query result?
Free System Design on AWS E-Book
Download this early release of O'Reilly's latest cloud infrastructure e-book: System Design on AWS.
Switch & save up to 80%
Dragonfly is fully compatible with the Redis ecosystem and requires no code changes to implement. Instantly experience up to a 25X boost in performance and 80% reduction in cost