WAL & checkpointsRestart requireddefault replica
wal_level
Sets the level of information written to the WAL.
How you change it
Restart required
Defaults and ranges on this page were read from pg_settings on live PostgreSQL 18.4. Treat older majors as needing their own check before you copy a value.
What this means
Determines how much information is written to the WAL. 'replica' (the default) supports streaming replication and archiving; 'logical' adds the extra detail needed for logical replication and change-data-capture; 'minimal' writes the least but disallows WAL archiving and replication.
When it matters
Use 'replica' for physical standbys/PITR, 'logical' if you need logical replication or CDC.
| Default | replica |
|---|---|
| Allowed | minimal, replica, logical |
| Type | enum |
| Change scope | Restart required |
| Category | WAL & checkpoints |
Check the current value
SHOW wal_level;Tradeoffs
- • 'minimal' blocks archiving and replicas, so it is only for isolated single-node setups.
- • 'logical' increases WAL volume; size archiving and disk accordingly.
- • Changing it requires a server restart.