Database version policies

This page describes database version support policies for AlloyDB for PostgreSQL.

AlloyDB and AlloyDB Omni version policies

AlloyDB for PostgreSQL, which runs in Google Cloud, and AlloyDB Omni, which you install and run on your own computing environment, have related but distinct versioning policies as described in this section.

AlloyDB version policies

AlloyDB instances run a database server created and maintained by Google that is fully compatible with PostgreSQL. You have control over which major PostgreSQL version your instances are compatible with. AlloyDB keeps the minor version compatibility of instances automatically updated.

Every AlloyDB cluster supports compatibility with a specific PostgreSQL major version—for example, PostgreSQL 15. You choose the major version when creating the cluster. A cluster retains its chosen major version for its entire lifetime. You can effectively upgrade a cluster by migrating its data to a new cluster. For more information, see Upgrade a cluster's major server version.

Every AlloyDB instance runs a database service that is compatible with a specific minor PostgreSQL version—for example, 15.4. AlloyDB releases minor version compatibility updates several times per year, and automatically applies these updates to instances. These updates keep every instance up to date with the most recent bug fixes and security patches available for its major version.

AlloyDB Omni version policies

Every version of AlloyDB Omni has compatibility with a specific version of PostgreSQL, as detailed in Major version compatibility release policy.

Because AlloyDB Omni is software that you install and run yourself, you are also responsible for regularly updating your AlloyDB Omni installation as needed. The availability of new versions of AlloyDB Omni is announced on AlloyDB for PostgreSQL release notes.

Major and minor version support

AlloyDB supports compatibility with the following PostgreSQL database versions:

PostgreSQL compatible version	AlloyDB	AlloyDB Omni
PostgreSQL 16	16.3	Not applicable
PostgreSQL 15 (default)	15.7	15.5 15.4 15.2
PostgreSQL 14	14.12	Not applicable

PostgreSQL compatible version

AlloyDB

AlloyDB Omni

PostgreSQL 16

16.3

Not applicable

PostgreSQL 15 (default)

15.7

15.5

15.4

15.2

PostgreSQL 14

14.12

Not applicable

PostgreSQL 16 compatibility

Before using PostgreSQL 16 as your database version, consider the following:

PostgreSQL 16 is not available with AlloyDB Omni.
Logical replication from the standby server is not supported.
pgrouting and pg_squeeze extensions are not supported.

Major version support timeline

The following table shows the dates when AlloyDB support for compatible versions became generally available (GA):

PostgreSQL compatible version	AlloyDB version support GA date	AlloyDB Omni version support GA Date
PostgreSQL 16	October 23, 2024	Not applicable
PostgreSQL 15	January 19, 2024	October 11, 2023
PostgreSQL 14	December 12, 2022	Not applicable

Major version compatibility release policy

We aim to offer timely support for AlloyDB compatibility with new PostgreSQL major versions. The specific timing depends on the AlloyDB product:

AlloyDB for PostgreSQL: We aim to support compatibility with a new major PostgreSQL version within eight months of the PostgreSQL release numbered MAJOR_VERSION.1.
AlloyDB Omni: We aim to support compatibility with a new major PostgreSQL within eight months of the PostgreSQL release numbered MAJOR_VERSION.1.

The version number of AlloyDB Omni releases reflects its version of PostgreSQL support. AlloyDB Omni version numbers use the following format:
```
MAJOR_VERSION.MINOR_VERSION.OMNI_VERSION
```
For example, AlloyDB Omni version 15.4.2 represents version 2 of the AlloyDB Omni release that supports compatibility with PostgreSQL version 15.4.

We plan to support AlloyDB Omni compatibility with any one major PostgreSQL version for at least as long as the PostgreSQL community supports that same major version—that is, no less than five years.
AlloyDB in Google Distributed Cloud: We aim to support compatibility with a new major PostgreSQL version within four months of the availability of that major version in AlloyDB Omni.

These are general guidelines. The actual release times for any new version may differ.

Major version deprecation plan

Google uses the PostgreSQL community's end-of-life schedule when planning the end of AlloyDB support for compatibility with any PostgreSQL major version.

When Google intends to end compatibility support for a specific major version of PostgreSQL, we provide the following to project owners:

End-of-support notices, sent at least 12 months ahead of time.
Tools and documentation to minimize upgrade disruption, as needed.

Any AlloyDB cluster still running the deprecated major database version at the end of the 12-month period is automatically upgraded.

Version dependencies for AlloyDB features

Certain AlloyDB features might require a major version of PostgreSQL compatibility in order to run on an AlloyDB instance. Any feature with such a minimum requirement notes it in the documentation of that feature.

Minor version support

AlloyDB, AlloyDB Omni, and AlloyDB in Distributed Cloud aim to release compatibility support for a new minor PostgreSQL version every quarter. These updates include bug fixes and security fixes. The schedule may vary depending on the need for additional bug fixes.

After AlloyDB releases support for a new minor PostgreSQL version, Google automatically applies this update to all instances. These updates are propagated during a subsequent maintenance rollout. For more information about automatic AlloyDB maintenance, see About maintenance.

For example, if AlloyDB releases support for a new minor version of PostgreSQL 15, then a cluster configured with Postgres 15 compatibility has all of its instances upgraded to this new minor version during a subsequent scheduled maintenance operation.

When you create an AlloyDB instance, it runs the most recently supported minor version within the major PostgreSQL version.

For AlloyDB Omni, you must download and install the binaries that include upgraded PostgreSQL minor-version compatibility.

Some AlloyDB Omni releases are updates to AlloyDB Omni itself, independent from updates to PostgreSQL support. These releases include bug fixes and security updates, and are reflected by an increment to the last part of the release version number.

AlloyDB Omni CLI version

The AlloyDB Omni CLI uses a MAJOR.MINOR versioning scheme that indicates only the version of the CLI itself. Its version numbers and its versioning schedule exist independently from AlloyDB Omni.

The major version of the AlloyDB Omni CLI is increased only upon the introduction of changes that are backwards-incompatible with the previous release of the CLI.

Security updates

When the PostgreSQL community releases minor versions with security fixes, the AlloyDB security team reviews them for the criticality and impact.

For AlloyDB for PostgreSQL, critical fixes are backported and your clusters are updated as part of a subsequent maintenance rollout. We aim to apply critical patches within one month.

Less severe fixes are included in future minor version upgrades. This ensures that your clusters are always up to date with the latest security fixes, and are protected from potential attacks.

For AlloyDB Omni, we release a new binary that has the fix with the new minor version within a month of the PostgreSQL community release.