PgDog Launches as New Connection Pooler for Postgres

Introduction of PgDog

PgDog has been launched as a new proxy for scaling Postgres databases. Its primary feature is connection pooling, enabling multiple client applications to access a database without breaching its connection limits. This new tool enters a competitive landscape already populated with options like PgBouncer, RDS Proxy, and Pgpool-II.

Problem with Existing Connection Poolers

Existing connection poolers follow the UNIX philosophy to handle tasks effectively, but they often create 'leaky abstractions'. This means that incorporating these tools usually requires significant changes to existing application code, particularly when managing session state. Consequently, many developers face extensive code revisions when integrating connection pooling.

The Role of Connection State

When implementing a connection pooler, session control that includes SET commands typically becomes unavailable. These commands are essential for temporary database setting changes during the execution of queries. Leaky abstractions might cause connection state from one client to impact another, potentially leading to critical errors or violations of security measures such as Row Level Security (RLS).

PgDog's Solution to State Management

PgDog introduces a built-in SQL parser capable of interpreting SET statements, allowing for the safe preservation of connection states. With this feature, PgDog ensures that connection states remain consistent even as connections are reused between clients, reducing the need for substantial application code modifications.