No video of the event yet, sorry!

This session takes a deep dive into how PostgreSQL manages concurrent access through its sophisticated locking and concurrency control mechanisms. We’ll start by understanding why locks exist in the first place, how they ensure data consistency when multiple clients read and modify the same data, and then explore the main types of locks at both the row and table level. You’ll learn how the lock manager coordinates access, what happens internally when locks conflict, and how PostgreSQL detects and resolves deadlocks.

We’ll also examine the relationship between locks, transactions, and isolation levels, and how choices here can influence contention and performance. Through clear examples and queries against system catalog views like pg_locks and pg_stat_activity, you’ll see how to identify blocking sessions, interpret lock wait events, and diagnose bottlenecks in your own workload.

Finally, we’ll cover practical techniques for avoiding unnecessary locking issues — from careful transaction design to query patterns and index strategies that minimize contention. Whether you’re a developer, DBA, or curious PostgreSQL user, this talk will help you gain the confidence to keep your database running smoothly, even under high concurrency.