Postgres
Open-source relational database that handles everything from side projects to billion-row production systems.
What are Postgres?
Postgres is an open-source relational database that's been battle-tested since 1986.
It stores your data in tables with rows and columns, but goes beyond basic SQL with features like custom data types, JSON support, full-text search, and geospatial queries through PostGIS.
Most builders use it as their default database choice. It runs on everything from a $5 DigitalOcean droplet to massive production systems at Uber and Instagram. You can self-host it or use managed services like Neon, Supabase, or Railway.
Free and open source. Managed hosting starts around $10/month for small projects.
Good to Know
Open source and free to use, with nearly 40 years of active development
Handles complex queries, JSON data, full-text search, and geospatial data out of the box
Runs on all major operating systems and cloud platforms
ACID-compliant with multiversion concurrency control for handling multiple operations simultaneously
Massive ecosystem of extensions like PostGIS for maps and pgvector for AI embeddings
How Vibe Coders Use Postgres
Building a SaaS app that needs reliable data storage with complex relationships
Storing user data, payments, and activity logs for your AI startup
Running analytics queries on millions of rows without spinning up a separate data warehouse
Adding vector search to your app for AI-powered recommendations
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Terms
The standard language for querying and managing data in relational databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite.
Database security that filters which rows users can see based on their identity or role, letting you share the same table with different people safely.
Open-source Firebase alternative built on PostgreSQL with instant APIs, authentication, storage, and real-time subscriptions.
A way for apps to receive instant updates when data changes, without constantly asking the server if anything's new.
Version control system that tracks changes in your code and lets multiple people work on the same project without stepping on each other's toes.
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