Amazon Aurora now supports PostgreSQL major version 18

Amazon Web Services has announced that Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible Edition now supports PostgreSQL major version 18, beginning with version 18.3. The update brings significant performance improvements including B-tree skip scans that enhance query performance while reducing index storage and maintenance overhead, and the retention of optimizer statistics during major version upgrades to ensure consistent query performance immediately after upgrading. The new version introduces support for the pg_roaringbitmap extension, which enables fast, memory-efficient set operations on large integer collections directly within the database. This capability supports use cases such as audience segmentation, tag-based filtering, and permission checks without requiring application-layer processing. Additionally, PostgreSQL 18 enhances logical replication by allowing large transactions to stream in parallel, reducing replication lag and keeping downstream systems more current. AWS customers can upgrade their Aurora PostgreSQL instances through multiple methods including RDS Blue/Green deployments, in-place upgrades, or snapshot restoration. The PostgreSQL 18.3 support is now available across all commercial AWS Regions and AWS GovCloud (US) Regions, providing global access to the enhanced database capabilities.