Find out 📣 who is speaking 📣 at POSETTE: An Event for Postgres 2024.
The PGConf.dev CFP closes on Monday, January 15 at 11:59pm PST, so if you want to speak at the inaugural PGConf.dev, submit a proposal!
PGConf.dev is the new PostgreSQL Development Conference, the successor to PGCon, a Postgres contribution-focused conference that took place every year in Ottawa. Pronounced "Pee-gee-conf-dot-dev", the inaugural year of PGConf.dev will take place in beautiful Vancouver, Canada, on May 28-31, 2024—with many of the same conference features that made PGCon so great:
- sessions covering Postgres hacking and contribution
- full-day Unconference geared toward collaboration and impromptu creativity
- opportunities to brainstorm with others interested in Postgres development in the “hallway track”
What type of talks is PGConf.dev looking for? The CFP page for PGConf.dev has more details, but, in short: session proposals on all topics related to contributing to Postgres and how to ensure Postgres continues to be the best open source relational database on the planet.
What’s new and different at PGConf.dev?
Part of our vision for PGConf.dev is that it becomes an explicit destination for learning how to become a Postgres contributor.
In addition to the advanced PostgreSQL developer topics you might expect—the hope is for PGConf.dev to include multiple introductory sessions, beginner-friendly hallway track conversations, and hands-on workshops that will help you begin (or continue) your Postgres contributor journey.
If this sounds like something you can help with, well, then you should submit a talk.
And there will be "workshops" as well as regular-length talks. The CFP solicits both:
- 40-50 minute regular session proposals, and
- workshops which are twice the length of a regular session
From the PGConf.dev CFP page:
Workshop sessions will run for 110 minutes, which is double the time of a regular session. Workshops are meant to facilitate educational content that is more in-depth or interactive than the 50 minute format allows.
My first PGCon conference talk submission
In 2018, I attended my very first PGCon. I had limited experience with Postgres development and had only been a professional software engineer for a year. I was interested in any opportunity to learn how to become a Postgres hacker, and I heard that PGCon was the best place for this.
Most of what I remember about PGCon 2018 was struggling to understand the sessions I attended and the hallway track conversations I lurked on. Everything was fascinating… but also far beyond my comprehension at that point.
Eight months later, the CFP opened up for PGCon 2019. I had learned so much in the intervening time, I decided to submit my first conference talk. I assumed it wouldn't be accepted. After all, I was hardly an expert. I submitted a talk titled An Intro to Hacking on the Postgres Planner. I knew there were other people who could speak with more authority on hacking on the Postgres planner, but I felt well-positioned to speak on learning to hack on the Postgres planner. To my surprise, my talk was accepted.
I spent months developing the content for my presentation. Developing this talk was the first time I had really tried to explain query optimization or the Postgres planner to anyone. And as you might imagine, the process was a fantastic learning experience.
That year, my PGCon experience was different. I understood more of what people were talking about. I specifically sought out sessions with an introductory focus and understood the content. Being a speaker, people approached me to ask questions about my talk and get my opinion on their own Postgres planner ideas. I realized you don’t have to be an expert to contribute to the Postgres community.
Who is PGConf.dev for? Who is the audience?
PGConf.dev is not just for Postgres hackers. If you are a conference volunteer, a PUG meetup organizer, a podcast host, a blog author, or a Postgres community volunteer—please, you should submit a talk.
You can think of PGConf.dev as a conference for learning about and improving Postgres contributions of all kinds (not just code!)
PGConf.dev's development track is not just about Postgres core code development. There are so many projects and products which make Postgres work for thousands of unique use cases. If you maintain an extension, a client, a driver, library, or other Postgres ecosystem project, we need your perspective. You should submit a talk. :)
PGConf.dev is also a place for new ideas and perspectives. Are you a database internals academic? We would love to hear about the latest research and how it could apply to Postgres. Are you a member of another open source community? We would love to hear about tough problems you solved. You should submit a talk. :)
If you have questions about the CFP and whether or not your talk proposal is a fit, feel free to reach out to me at mplageman at microsoft dot com. Or you can read Claire’s post on why give a conference talk. I hope I will read your proposal soon.
📅 The deadline for the PGConf.dev CFP is Monday, January 15th @ 11:59pm PST. So, now is your chance. If you have ideas, expertise, and experiences to share with the Postgres community, you should submit a talk.
