Configuration parameter

max_files_per_process — PostgreSQL Configuration Parameter

Category Resource Limits Default 1000 Unit boolean / enum / numeric Change scope Restart required

Max open files per server process.

At a glance

Property Value
Parameter max_files_per_process
Category Resource Limits
Default 1000
Value type boolean / enum / numeric
Change scope Restart required

What it does

Limits the number of simultaneously open files per server subprocess, to stay under the OS per-process descriptor limit.

How to apply a change

Requires a full server restart (postmaster context). Set it in postgresql.conf and restart PostgreSQL.

Inspect the current value and source with SHOW max_files_per_process; or SELECT name, setting, unit, context, source FROM pg_settings WHERE name = 'max_files_per_process';.

Tuning guidance

Raise if you have very many tables/partitions and hit descriptor pressure, ensuring the OS ulimit -n is higher than this x process count.

Reference

PostgreSQL documentation — Resource Limits configuration.

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