PostgreSQL v18 introduces the ability to preserve optimizer statistics during major upgrades, enhancing performance and reducing downtime. This feature allows users to export optimizer statistics with `pg_dump` and ensures that statistics remain intact when using `pg_upgrade`, streamlining database upgrades.
PostgreSQL 18 RC 1 has been released as the first release candidate, with a planned general availability date of September 25, 2025. Users upgrading from earlier versions can utilize major version upgrade strategies, and several bug fixes have been applied since the previous beta version.