TLDR Tech / Practical
Postgres' TOAST Mechanism for Handling Large Attributes Explained
This article delves into how PostgreSQL manages excessively large data attributes using its TOAST (The Oversized-Attribute Storage Technique) system. It covers the limits on row size, the compression methods available such as pglz and LZ4, and the strategies for storing data. TOAST is activated when a row exceeds 2,032 bytes, either by compressing values or moving them to an external table. The piece contrasts the performance of pglz and LZ4 across various data types and offers guidance on when to opt for uncompressed external storage.
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