Just use Postgres with Denis Magda

Database School

In this episode, Aaron talks with Dennis Magda, author of Just Use Postgres!, about the wide world of modern Postgres, from JSON and full-text search to generative AI, time-series storage, and even message queues. They explore when Postgres should be your go-to tool, when it shouldn’t, and why understanding its breadth helps developers build better systems.

Use the code DBSmagda to get 45% off Denis' new book Just Use Postgres!
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Follow Denis:
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/denismagda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmagda

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Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aarondfrancis
Database School: https://databaseschool.com
Database School YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCT3XN4RtcFhmrWl8tf_o49g (Subscribe today)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarondfrancis
Website: https://aaronfrancis.com - find articles, podcasts, courses, and more.

Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome
01:28 – Dennis’ Background: Java, JVM, and Databases
03:20 – Bridging Application Development & Databases
04:05 – Moving Down the Stack: How Dennis Entered Databases
07:28 – Apache Ignite, Distributed Systems & the Path to Postgres
08:02 – Writing Just Use Postgres!: The Origin Story
10:26 – Why a Modern Postgres Book Was Needed
11:01 – The Spark That Led to the Book Proposal
13:06 – Developers Still Don’t Know What Postgres Can Do
15:40 – Connecting With Manning & Refining the Book Vision
16:38 – What Just Use Postgres! Covers
17:40 – The Book’s Core Thesis: The Breadth of Postgres
19:50 – Favorite Use Cases & Learning While Writing
20:30 – When to Use Postgres for Non-Relational Workloads
23:08 – Full Text Search in Postgres Explained
29:31 – When Not to Use Postgres (Pragmatism Over Fanaticism)
34:01 – Using Postgres as a Message Queue
42:09 – When Message Queues Outgrow Postgres
48:10 – Postgres for Generative AI (PGVector)
55:34 – Dennis’ 14-Month Writing Process
01:00:50 – Who the Book Is For
01:04:10 – Where to Follow Dennis & Closing Thoughts