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Part 3: Why Autovacuum Stops — PostgreSQL Internal Mechanics Explained

Series Summary: This is Part 3 of a multi-part series on PostgreSQL autovacuum failures.

In Part 2, we reproduced the autovacuum failure issue — now let’s understand why it happens. This post dives into PostgreSQL internals, explaining how autovacuum allocates its resources and why certain databases get “stuck” in maintenance limbo.

Why Does This Occur?

This behavior stems from how the autovacuum daemon allocates its resources. Autovacuum identifies the …

Part 2: Reproducing and Diagnosing Autovacuum Failures

Series Summary: This is Part 2 of a multi-part series on PostgreSQL autovacuum failures.

In Part 1, we introduced the scenario where autovacuum mysteriously halts in a multi-database PostgreSQL cluster. Now, we’ll reproduce the issue using a lightweight test setup. This walkthrough will help you see the failure in action and understand how quickly your system can degrade.

How to Reproduce the Problem (and Watch PostgreSQL Go Sideways)

Let’s …

Part 1: When Autovacuum Silently Fails Across Databases

This blog series examines PostgreSQL autovacuum failures, focusing on temp tables and multi-database edge cases that cause bloat, slowdowns, or XID wraparound risks in complex environments.