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    PolarDB:Major version feature comparison

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    PolarDB:Major version feature comparison

    Last Updated:Mar 28, 2026

    This page lists the features available in each major version of PolarDB for PostgreSQL, organized by version, edition, and capability category. Use it to determine which version and edition support a specific feature before creating a cluster or planning an upgrade.

    Some features require a specific minor kernel version in addition to the major version shown. Check the individual feature documentation for details.

    Choose a version

    PolarDB for PostgreSQL is available in major versions 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. Each major version offers different editions and feature sets.

    VersionEditions available
    11Enterprise Edition
    14Enterprise Edition, Standard Edition, Distributed Edition
    15Enterprise Edition, Standard Edition
    16Enterprise Edition, Standard Edition, Distributed Edition
    17Enterprise Edition, Standard Edition
    18Enterprise Edition, Standard Edition

    Version 16 is the recommended major version. It offers the broadest feature coverage and the most stable production track. Create new clusters on version 16 unless you have a specific reason to use another version.

    Before upgrading between major versions: Check the proprietary kernel tables carefully. Some features available in older versions (such as Automatic index recommendation, Cost-based query transformation, Flashback table, and Global metadata cache) are not available in version 16 or later. Identify any such features in your current environment before upgrading.

    Cluster operations and maintenance

    Column headers use the format {version} {edition abbreviation}: Ent = Enterprise Edition, Std = Standard Edition, Dist = Distributed Edition. Each cell shows Supported or Not supported.

    Serverless

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    Create and manage serverless clustersNot supportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Enable and manage the serverless feature for clusters with defined specificationsNot supportedSupportedNot supportedNot supportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported

    Cluster management

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    Create database clustersSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Release clustersSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Clone clustersSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Restart nodesSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Scheduled tasksSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    View database storage usageSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Cluster lockSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    TagsSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Migration and synchronizationSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported

    Data security and encryption

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    Configure cluster whitelists or security groupsSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    SSL link encryptionSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Configure transparent data encryption (TDE)SupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    SQL throttlingSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported

    Account management

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    Console accountsSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Database accountsSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported

    Database management

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    Database managementSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Network channelsNot supportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported

    Database proxy

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    View or apply for endpointsSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Connect to database clustersSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Private domain namesSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Read/write splittingSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Global consistencyNot supportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Configure database proxySupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported

    High availability

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    High-availability modeSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Automatic or manual primary/standby switchoverSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported

    Change cluster configurations

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    Change configurationSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Add or delete nodesSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Temporary upgradeSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Manual scale-outSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Parameter settingsSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Subscription managementSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Minor version managementSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported

    Backup and restore

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    Automatic backupSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Manual backupSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Point-in-time restoreSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Restore from a backup set (snapshot)SupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Database/table restore: point in timeSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Database/table restore: from a backup setSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported

    Diagnostics and optimization

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    Performance monitoringSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Quick diagnosticsSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Slow SQL statementsSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    SQL ExplorerSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported

    Cluster recycle bin

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    Restore a released clusterSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported
    Permanently delete a released clusterSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedNot supportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported

    Proprietary kernel capabilities

    The version number in each cell is the minimum minor kernel version required for that feature. "Supported" means the feature is available with no minor version restriction. "Not supported" means the feature is unavailable in that major version.

    Database Autonomy Service

    Feature111415161718
    Garbage collection during off-peak hours2.0.11.15.42.02.0.14.12.24.02.0.15.12.4.02.0.16.8.3.02.0.17.2.2.1Not supported
    Automatic index recommendationNot supported2.0.14.10.19.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported

    Distributed

    Distributed features require the Distributed Edition. Versions 15 and 16 offer a Distributed Edition; other versions do not.
    Feature111415161718
    What is a distributed cluster?Not supported2.0.14.17.34.0Not supported2.0.16.9.6.0Not supportedNot supported
    Create and manage distributed tables and replicated tablesNot supported2.0.14.17.34.0Not supported2.0.16.9.6.0Not supportedNot supported
    DML operations on distributed tablesNot supported2.0.14.17.34.0Not supported2.0.16.9.6.0Not supportedNot supported
    Optimize queries on distributed tablesNot supported2.0.14.17.34.0Not supported2.0.16.9.6.0Not supportedNot supported
    Use and limits of distributed sequencesNot supported2.0.14.17.34.0Not supported2.0.16.9.6.0Not supportedNot supported
    Multi-tenant managementNot supported2.0.14.17.34.0Not supported2.0.16.9.6.0Not supportedNot supported
    Tenant isolationNot supported2.0.14.17.34.0Not supported2.0.16.9.6.0Not supportedNot supported
    Configure CDC to synchronize data changesNot supported2.0.14.17.34.0Not supported2.0.16.9.6.0Not supportedNot supported

    Fast recovery

    Feature111415161718
    Online promote read-only nodes2.0.11.2.1.02.0.14.5.1.02.0.15.7.1.12.0.16.3.1.12.0.17.2.1.02.0.18.0.1.0
    Parallel WAL log replay2.0.11.9.17.02.0.14.5.1.02.0.15.7.1.12.0.16.3.1.12.0.17.2.1.02.0.18.0.1.0
    Logical replication slot failover2.0.11.15.38.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported

    HTAP

    Feature111415161718
    Real-time materialized views2.0.11.9.27.02.0.14.8.11.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Columnstore index (IMCI)Not supported2.0.14.10.20.02.0.15.15.7.02.0.16.8.3.02.0.17.7.5.0Not supported

    Security and reliability

    Feature111415161718
    TDE transparent data encryption2.0.11.2.1.02.0.14.5.1.1Not supported2.0.16.9.6.02.0.17.6.4.02.0.18.0.1.0
    Confidential database (Public preview)Not supported2.0.14.9.14.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported

    AI

    Feature111415161718
    PolarDB for AINot supported2.0.14.13.28.02.0.15.12.4.02.0.16.6.2.0Not supportedNot supported
    Supabase applicationsNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedSupportedNot supportedNot supported
    DynamoDB compatibilityNot supported2.0.14.17.35.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Global database network (GDN)Not supportedSupportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Intelligent search (PolarSearch)Not supported2.0.14.22.43.02.0.15.17.8.02.0.16.11.15.02.0.17.9.6.02.0.18.3.2.0

    Memory optimization

    Feature111415161718
    Persistent Memory Buffer (PBP)2.0.11.2.1.02.0.14.5.2.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Global execution plan cache (GPC)2.0.11.9.28.02.0.14.9.15.02.0.15.7.1.12.0.16.3.1.12.0.17.2.1.02.0.18.0.1.0
    Global metadata cacheNot supported2.0.14.8.11.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported

    Optimizer

    Feature111415161718
    Cost-based query transformation (CBQT)2.0.11.15.44.02.0.14.13.28.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Convert OR clauses to UNION ALLNot supported2.0.14.13.27.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Statement outlineNot supported2.0.14.13.28.0Not supported2.0.16.9.9.0Not supportedNot supported
    Subquery pushdown2.0.11.15.44.02.0.14.13.28.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Correlated subquery pull-upNot supported2.0.14.8.11.0Not supportedNot supportedSupportedSupported

    Partitioned tables

    Feature111415161718
    Global indexesNot supported2.0.14.9.15.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Partitioned tables support any column as primary keyNot supported2.0.14.10.17.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Partitioned table scan operatorsNot supported2.0.14.9.15.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported

    Resource management

    Feature111415161718
    Multi-tenantNot supported2.0.14.12.24.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Resource Manager2.0.11.2.1.02.0.14.5.1.02.0.15.7.2.02.0.16.3.1.12.0.17.2.1.02.0.18.0.1.0

    Storage cost

    Feature111415161718
    Tiered storage for cold dataNot supported2.0.14.10.21.0Not supported2.0.16.9.6.0Not supportedNot supported

    Storage performance

    Feature111415161718
    Prefetching and pre-extension2.0.11.2.0.02.0.14.5.1.02.0.15.12.4.02.0.16.6.2.02.0.17.2.1.02.0.18.0.1.0
    Create or refresh materialized views with batch writes2.0.11.15.37.02.0.14.9.15.0 to 2.0.14.13.27.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Multi-insert table AM infrastructureNot supported2.0.14.13.28.02.0.15.12.4.02.0.16.8.3.02.0.17.2.2.1Not supported
    Batch import infrastructureNot supported2.0.14.13.28.02.0.15.12.4.02.0.16.6.2.02.0.17.2.1.02.0.18.0.1.0
    Table size cache (RSC)Not supported2.0.14.12.23.12.0.15.7.1.12.0.16.3.1.12.0.17.2.1.02.0.18.0.1.0
    Physical and logical replication reads WAL logs from WAL bufferNot supported2.0.14.13.27.02.0.15.12.4.02.0.16.6.2.02.0.17.2.1.02.0.18.0.1.0

    Other

    Feature111415161718
    Flashback drop2.0.11.9.30.02.0.14.9.15.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported
    Flashback table2.0.11.9.22.0Not supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supportedNot supported

    Plugin guide

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    Plugin guideSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported

    GanosBase spatio-temporal engine

    Feature11 Ent14 Ent14 Std14 Dist15 Ent15 Std16 Ent16 Std16 Dist17 Ent17 Std18 Ent18 Std
    GanosBase spatio-temporal engineSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupportedSupported