Re: Allow logical replication to copy tables in binary format

Euler Taveira <euler(at)eulerto(dot)com>, 11 Ağu 2022 Per, 16:27 tarihinde şunu
yazdı:

> On Thu, Aug 11, 2022, at 8:04 AM, Amit Kapila wrote:
>
> On Thu, Aug 11, 2022 at 7:34 AM Euler Taveira <euler(at)eulerto(dot)com> wrote:
> >
> > The reason to use text format is that it is error prone. There are
> restrictions
> > while using the binary format. For example, if your schema has different
> data
> > types for a certain column, the copy will fail.
> >
>
> Won't such restrictions hold true even during replication?
>
> I expect that the COPY code matches the proto.c code. The point is that
> table
> sync is decoupled from the logical replication. Hence, we should emphasize
> in
> the documentation that the restrictions *also* apply to the initial table
> synchronization.
>

If such restrictions are already the case for replication phase after
initial table sync, then it shouldn't prevent us from enabling binary
option for table sync. Right?
But yes, it needs to be stated somewhere.

Euler Taveira <euler(at)eulerto(dot)com>, 11 Ağu 2022 Per, 05:03 tarihinde şunu
yazdı

> I have a few points about your implementation.
>
> * Are we considering to support prior Postgres versions too? These releases
> support binary mode but it could be an unexpected behavior (initial sync
> in
> binary mode) for a publisher using 14 or 15 and a subscriber using 16.
> IMO
> you should only allow it for publisher on 16 or later.
>

How is any issue that might occur due to version mismatch being handled
right now in repliaction after table sync?
What I understand from the documentation is if replication can fail due to
using different pg versions, it just fails. So binary option cannot be
used. [1]
Do you think that this is more serious for table sync and we need to
restrict binary option with different publisher and subscriber versions?
But not for replication?

* Docs should say that the binary option also applies to initial table
> synchronization and possibly emphasize some of the restrictions.
> * Tests. Are the current tests enough? 014_binary.pl.
>

You're right on both points. I just wanted to know your opinions on this
first. Then the patch will need some tests and proper documentation.

[1] https://www.postgresql.org/docs/15/sql-createsubscription.html
<https://www.postgresql.org/docs/15/sql-createsubscription.html>

Best,
Melih