Re: First draft of PG 19 release notes

On Wed, Apr 15, 2026 at 01:56:50PM -0400, Melanie Plageman wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 14, 2026 at 9:19 PM Bruce Momjian <bruce(at)momjian(dot)us> wrote:
> >
> > I have completed the first draft of the PG 19 release notes:
> >
> > https://www.postgresql.org/docs/devel/release-19.html
>
> As of b46e1e54d078def, SELECT queries may update the visibility map.
> Previously only vacuum did this. I think users may be confused by this
> if it is not mentioned in the release notes.

Yes, I puzzled on this one and I am glad you clarified its purpose.
I think it should be added, and I have applied the attached patch.

> Additionally, users may notice that there are no longer
> XLOG_HEAP2_VISIBLE records. A series of commits culminating in
> a881cc9c7e819fb (others being d96f87332b378, add323da40a6bf9e0,
> 1252a4ee2863673, a759ced2f1e) moved VM setting into the
> XLOG_HEAP2_PRUNE_VACUUM_SCAN record. Users may notice that
> XLOG_HEAP2_VISIBLE records are no longer produced.
>
> This is more minor, but we also now (378a216187aea1) set pd_prune_xid
> on insert, so users may notice that a freshly inserted page is
> on-access pruned and then the VM is set (which wouldn't have happened
> before without vacuum).

Uh, I don't want to get into the internals too much in the release
notes, in fear of confusing/losing readers. I think this is too
low-level to mention, but we now have a good "prune" item so if they see
big improvements, they will know why.

--
Bruce Momjian <bruce(at)momjian(dot)us> https://momjian.us
EDB https://enterprisedb.com

Do not let urgent matters crowd out time for investment in the future.