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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11In PostgreSQL, the precise term for the mechanism that manages a table’s storage is a table access method. It is separate from an index access method such as B-tree or GIN: indexes help locate rows, while the table access method governs table storage. PostgreSQL documents heap as the reference implementation, not as one item in a verified menu of competing built-in table engines.
What “database engine” means in PostgreSQL
“Database engine” is a broad term that can refer to different things in different database systems. In PostgreSQL, this article concerns table access methods: the interface through which PostgreSQL performs table-storage operations. The PostgreSQL 18 documentation describes them as managing storage for tables in its Table Access Method Interface Definition.
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Do not confuse that interface with an index access method. PostgreSQL tracks both kinds in the pg_am system catalog, which identifies whether an access method is for a table or an index. B-tree and GIN are examples of index methods, not alternative table-storage engines. See the PostgreSQL 18 pg_am catalog documentation.
How a table access method works
PostgreSQL core uses a table access method interface to carry out storage operations. A method provides a TableAmRoutine structure containing callbacks that define the behavior PostgreSQL needs. An extension supplies a handler that returns this structure, while its implementation determines how it stores table data. The implementation may use PostgreSQL shared buffers, but the interface does not require it.
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Implementation responsibilities
- Tuple identifiers: A method that supports modifications and/or indexes needs tuple identifiers (TIDs) for tuples. The documented TID comprises a block number and an item number.
- Crash safety: A method can use PostgreSQL write-ahead logging (WAL) or provide a custom crash-safety mechanism. The choice and implementation are method-specific.
- Transactions: Supporting transactions that involve different table methods can require close integration with PostgreSQL’s transaction machinery. The interface does not mean every extension handles this identically.
These requirements matter when evaluating an implementation. The PostgreSQL 18 table access method documentation explains the interface; it does not establish a broad, vetted catalogue of current alternatives or comparable performance results.
What table access methods are available?
PostgreSQL documents heap as the reference implementation for developers building a table access method. It is the familiar baseline. The documentation cited here does not support presenting a complete list of competing built-in table engines, or ranking alternative extensions by speed, size, or suitability.
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If you are assessing a named extension, check its own documentation for the capabilities that affect your workload: read and write support, TID and index support, crash-safety and WAL strategy, transaction integration, compatibility with other extensions, supported PostgreSQL versions, and migration requirements. A performance or storage comparison needs benchmarks conducted with comparable PostgreSQL versions, hardware, configuration, and workload.
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CREATE ACCESS METHOD registers an access method; it does not convert a table. In PostgreSQL 18, the command supports TABLE and INDEX access method types, and only superusers can define new methods. A table method also needs an appropriate handler and a C-level implementation of the table access API. See the PostgreSQL 18 CREATE ACCESS METHOD reference.
Changing the method of an existing table is a separate operation using ALTER TABLE. PostgreSQL rewrites the table using the specified method, so this is a data rewrite rather than a simple catalog change. Plan for its operational cost and schedule it appropriately; the documentation cited here does not establish a particular lock duration or downtime estimate.
Change a table’s access method
Use this form with the actual table and method names:
ALTER TABLE table_name SET ACCESS METHOD method_name;The method must already be available in the database. The command and its partitioned-table behavior are described in the PostgreSQL 18 ALTER TABLE reference.
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Choose a specific method or the default
Replace table_name with the target table and method_name with the method to use. To select the method set by default_table_access_method, use DEFAULT instead:
ALTER TABLE table_name SET ACCESS METHOD DEFAULT;Account for partitioned tables
A partitioned parent contains no table data to rewrite. Setting its access method determines the method for future partitions, unless an override is supplied; it does not rewrite the data in existing partitions. Treat existing partitions as separate tables when planning any conversion they may need.
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What to verify before conversion
- Confirm the PostgreSQL version and that the requested table access method is installed and available.
- Check the method’s documented support for the operations and indexes your workload requires, including TIDs where relevant.
- Review the method’s crash-safety, WAL, and transaction behavior rather than assuming these match PostgreSQL heap.
- Plan for a table rewrite and its operational impact; do not assume the command merely changes metadata.
- For partitioned data, distinguish the parent’s setting for future partitions from the access methods of existing partitions.
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