The PostgreSQL release team has officially rescheduled the launch of PostgreSQL 19 to November 19. The update process now includes a second release candidate, RC2, scheduled for November 12, to accommodate a backlog of fixes identified in support branches.
The delay follows the removal of 8 to 10 significant features from the release, including SQL/PGQ, GROUP BY ALL, and partition management functions. These features are now expected to be included in PostgreSQL 20. The release team stated that the decision was made to ensure the stability and reliability of the software.
While some reports link the feature reverts to AI-assisted code reviews, the official announcement cites the volume of necessary fixes as the primary reason. Peter Eisentraut, a PostgreSQL committer, noted that AI tools have increased the quality threshold by identifying edge-case errors that previously might have been discovered only after release.
Data from Snowflake indicates 53 reverts occurred since the start of the PostgreSQL 19 beta, compared to approximately 44 during the PostgreSQL 18 cycle. The release will still include new features such as REPACK CONCURRENTLY, logical replication of sequences, and pg_plan_advice.
