Appendix B. When not to use Postgres

Like any other technology, Postgres has its strengths and weaknesses. There are use cases where Postgres shines, and at the same time, there are workloads where it’s not the best option. Even though the book is titled “Just Use Postgres” and many of us in the Postgres community champion its broader adoption, we all understand that it’s neither a silver bullet nor a Swiss Army knife that can replace all other database technologies.

However, if you expected me to walk you through a list of Postgres weaknesses in this final chapter, then, my friend, I might disappoint you—it’s not going to happen. The main reason is that even if I say you should refrain from using Postgres for use case X, that advice might no longer be accurate a year or two after this book is published. Postgres and its ecosystem are evolving so rapidly that what’s unsupported today might be easily handled by the database in the near future.

But if we put technical and business use cases aside, there are still three reasons I personally consider before deciding whether to use Postgres. Let me share them with you as they might help you make a more weighted and less biased decision.

So, when do I personally not use Postgres?