Configuration parameter

wal_segment_size — PostgreSQL configuration parameter

Category Preset Options Default 16MB

Reports the size of write ahead log segments.

At a glance

Property Value
Parameter wal_segment_size
Category Preset Options
Default 16MB
Value type integer
Change scope Per-session (SET)
Available in PostgreSQL 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 (added in 12)

What it does

Reports the size of write ahead log segments. The default value is 16MB. See wal_configuration for more information.

(Description quoted from the official PostgreSQL documentation.)

How to apply a change

Can be set per session with SET, per role/database with ALTER ROLE/DATABASE ... SET, or globally in postgresql.conf.

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

Tuning guidance

This is a preset, read-only parameter: it reports a value fixed when PostgreSQL was built or the cluster was initialized, and cannot be tuned at runtime. Read it to verify the server’s build or cluster configuration (for example when matching a replica or debugging a compatibility issue); there is no setting to adjust.

Reference

PostgreSQL documentation — wal_segment_size.

Keep going

Related & next steps

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