What PostgreSQL should I use for a new product database?

For a new product database, you usually want the latest stable PostgreSQL major version that your hosting/platform supports—unless you have a dependency that requires an older one.

Practical recommendation

• Use PostgreSQL 16 or 17 if available on your stack.
• If you want the safest conservative choice with broad ecosystem support, PostgreSQL 16 is a very solid default.
• Avoid starting a new product on an outdated major version unless there’s a specific compatibility reason.

How to choose

Pick based on these factors:

1. Hosting support
   • Your cloud provider / managed DB service may not yet support the newest major release.
2. Library/framework compatibility
   • Some ORMs, drivers, or extensions may lag behind.
3. Extensions you need
   • If you rely on PostGIS, TimescaleDB, pgvector, etc., verify version support.
4. Operational stability
   • Newer major versions are generally fine, but if your team values maximum maturity, one version behind the newest is often a good compromise.

Rule of thumb

• Greenfield SaaS / product app: PostgreSQL 16
• If fully supported and you want newest features: PostgreSQL 17
• If you need maximum compatibility today: PostgreSQL 15 or 16, depending on environment support

Also consider

For a product database, PostgreSQL is a great default because it gives you:

• strong ACID transactions
• flexible JSON support
• good indexing options
• reliable scaling for most early-stage products

If you want, I can also suggest a PostgreSQL setup checklist for a new product database (schema, extensions, backups, indexes, and connection pooling).