Physical Storage and File Layout

PostgreSQL's physical storage and file layout optimize data management and performance through a structured organization within the data directory, which includes subdirectories like base for individual databases, global for cluster-wide tables, pg_wal for Write-Ahead Logs ensuring durability, and pg_tblspc for tablespaces allowing flexible storage management. Key configuration files like postgresql.conf, pg_hba.conf, and pg_ident.conf are also located here. This layout facilitates efficient data handling, recovery, and maintenance, ensuring robust database operations.

Learn more from the following resources:

• @article@What is $PGDATA in PostgreSQL?
• @official@TOAST