PGConf.dev 2026 Onboarding New Community Members to PostgreSQL

Assorted Sentiments

(Some of these are quotes, some are paraphrases, some are general sentiments, none are attributed.)

Ways of getting involved with the PostgreSQL community need to be findable via Google.

As a Python developer, how do I contribute within the boundaries of my knowledge?

The Python community got a huge wave of growth at some point in the past, which PostgreSQL may be getting now. PostgreSQL seems to have a tighter community, where Python expanded greatly.

I think I went to Postgres Europe not understanding what a Postgres extension was, or how I would make one, or why I would want to make one.

I think we need to get better about wrangling volunteers.

I feel like, in the Postgres community, vs. other communities, all we ever want to talk about is Postgres.

How do you show new contributors that they can make a difference?

I want to get a meetup group started in $CITY, but I really feel like I need a co-organizer to share the load.

When it's called a Postgres User Group, the people who use Postgres but don't think about how they use Postgres aren't sure it's for them.

The "systems PUG" in Seattle gets more participation than the "Postgres Pug".

It would be good to have a quick way to validate development ideas, whether they are good or bad.

You need somebody within your company, team, or meetup that helps you get connected to the right resources (committers, experienced contributors, mailing lists, etc.).

The most effective way to discuss technical stuff and build personal relationships is to send potential developers to a conference like this one.

After 17 years in the PostgreSQL community, I figured out that I was probably allowed to start things, but I still don't know what things I'm allowed to start.

The governance page on the postgresql.org web site can be a useful starting point.

We should add a page to postgresql.org refererring people to maintainers of community-adjacent projects.