Just use Postgres with Denis Magda

In this episode, Aaron talks with Dennis Magda, author of Just Use Postgres!, about the wide world of modern Postgres, from JSON and full-text search to generative AI, time-series storage, and even message queues. They explore when Postgres should be your go-to tool, when it shouldn’t, and why understanding its breadth helps developers build better systems.Use the code DBSmagda to get 45% off Denis' new book Just Use Postgres!Order Just Use Postgres!Follow Denis:Twitter/X:  https://twitter.com/denismagdaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmagdaFollow Aaron:Twitter/X:  https://twitter.com/aarondfrancis Database School: https://databaseschool.comDatabase School YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCT3XN4RtcFhmrWl8tf_o49g  (Subscribe today)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarondfrancisWebsite: https://aaronfrancis.com - find articles, podcasts, courses, and more.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome01:28 – Dennis’ Background: Java, JVM, and Databases03:20 – Bridging Application Development & Databases04:05 – Moving Down the Stack: How Dennis Entered Databases07:28 – Apache Ignite, Distributed Systems & the Path to Postgres08:02 – Writing Just Use Postgres!: The Origin Story10:26 – Why a Modern Postgres Book Was Needed11:01 – The Spark That Led to the Book Proposal13:06 – Developers Still Don’t Know What Postgres Can Do15:40 – Connecting With Manning & Refining the Book Vision16:38 – What Just Use Postgres! Covers17:40 – The Book’s Core Thesis: The Breadth of Postgres19:50 – Favorite Use Cases & Learning While Writing20:30 – When to Use Postgres for Non-Relational Workloads23:08 – Full Text Search in Postgres Explained29:31 – When Not to Use Postgres (Pragmatism Over Fanaticism)34:01 – Using Postgres as a Message Queue42:09 – When Message Queues Outgrow Postgres48:10 – Postgres for Generative AI (PGVector)55:34 – Dennis’ 14-Month Writing Process01:00:50 – Who the Book Is For01:04:10 – Where to Follow Dennis & Closing Thoughts