A UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) is a 128-bit value used to uniquely identify an object or entity on the internet. UUIDs are widely used to identify data in databases and distributed systems. They are 36-character alphanumeric strings that are extremely unlikely to be repeated
PostgreSQL offers native support for UUIDs through its <code>UUID</code> data type, which stores these identifiers as compact 16-byte binary values. This efficient storage format is significantly more space-saving than the 36-character string representation commonly used in other databases. By utilizing binary storage, PostgreSQL not only reduces the overall size of the data but also minimizes the size of indexes associated with UUID columns. Consequently, this leads to improved query performance, especially in scenarios where filtering or sorting by UUIDs is required.
In comparison to other databases, such as MySQL, PostgreSQL's handling of UUIDs is more streamlined. While MySQL typically stores UUIDs as 36-character strings using the <code>CHAR(36)</code> data type, resulting in larger storage and index sizes, PostgreSQL’s native support for the <code>UUID</code> type eliminates the need for additional conversion functions. This makes managing UUIDs in PostgreSQL straightforward and efficient, providing developers with a robust solution for unique identification in their applications.

A UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) is a 128-bit value used to uniquely identify an object or entity on the internet. UUIDs are widely used to identify data in databases and distributed systems. They are 36-character alphanumeric strings that are extremely unlikely to be repeated

PostgreSQL offers native support for UUIDs through its `UUID` data type, which stores these identifiers as compact 16-byte binary values. This efficient storage format is significantly more space-saving than the 36-character string representation commonly used in other databases. By utilizing binary storage, PostgreSQL not only reduces the overall size of the data but also minimizes the size of indexes associated with UUID columns. Consequently, this leads to improved query performance, especially in scenarios where filtering or sorting by UUIDs is required.

In comparison to other databases, such as MySQL, PostgreSQL's handling of UUIDs is more streamlined. While MySQL typically stores UUIDs as 36-character strings using the `CHAR(36)` data type, resulting in larger storage and index sizes, PostgreSQL’s native support for the `UUID` type eliminates the need for additional conversion functions. This makes managing UUIDs in PostgreSQL straightforward and efficient, providing developers with a robust solution for unique identification in their applications.

Understanding UUID Storage in PostgreSQL

This blog explores the engineering principles behind creating cloud-enabled microservices applications.
