Jan’s blog

Hardware breakpoints can trigger eBPF programs when specific memory addresses are accessed, leveraging CPU hardware support for low overhead.

PostgreSQL uses a cost-based optimizer (CBO) to determine the best execution plan for a given query.

PostgreSQL uses a process-based architecture where each connection is handled by a separate process.

A flame graph is a graphical representation that helps to quickly understand where a program spends most of its processing time.

SQL is a declarative language; only the result of the query is specified.

Large language models (LLMs) that generate code are nowadays common.

Like many relational DBMSs, PostgreSQL uses multi-version concurrency control (MVCC) to support parallel transactions and coordinate concurrent access to tuples.

PostgreSQL uses several types of locks to coordinate parallel transactions and manage access to resources like tuples, tables, and in-memory data structures.

When working with the internals of PostgreSQL, it is helpful to navigate the source code quickly and look up symbols and definitions efficiently.

The eBPF technology of the Linux kernel allows it to monitor applications with minimal overhead.