AN INDEPENDENT GUIDE TO COMMITFEST
Follow the work
shaping PostgreSQL.
From an idea on a mailing list to a patch in the database. Understand what’s moving, follow the discussion, and find a way to contribute.
A starting point for curious developers, reviewers, and PostgreSQL users.
01 / WHERE THINGS STAND
The next review window.
PG20-3
November 2026 CommitFest
Browse the official patch list →See the dated queue snapshot →Add proposed changes to this cycle.
Reviewers and committers focus on the queue.
No CommitFest is currently in progress in this dated snapshot. The official index is the current source for cycle dates and status. This page does not auto-refresh.
02 / FOLLOW ALONG
Less noise. Closer to the work.
The conversation is the context.
Start with the original sources.
What changed?
The official activity log tracks new patches, reviews, status changes, and commits.
Open activity log02 →What’s being considered?
Browse the current queue by topic and status, then open a patch’s discussion.
Explore PG20-303 →Why does it matter?
Read the design trade-offs and review feedback in the PostgreSQL development list.
Read pgsql-hackersProposed ≠ promised. A patch in CommitFest is not a released feature. Even “Ready for Committer” can lead to another round of changes.
03 / TAKE PART
You don’t need
to know every
line of Postgres.
Reviewing isn’t only about C code. Trying a feature, checking the docs, or reporting a reproducible problem can help move a patch forward.
Read the reviewer’s guide →- 01
Pick something you understand.
Choose a patch that fits your interests. Read its entry and linked mailing-list thread before jumping in.
- 02
Try it. Test an edge case.
Check whether the patch applies, whether the behavior matches its description, and whether the documentation makes sense.
- 03
Share a useful review.
Reply to the patch’s existing email thread. Explain what you tested, what worked, and what didn’t. Partial reviews are useful too.
- 04
Keep the conversation moving.
Sign up as a reviewer in the official tracker when you’re ready. If you need more time, say so rather than going quiet.
04 / READ THE SIGNALS
What does that status mean?
Needs review+
The patch needs feedback or review. A good place to look for a contribution you can make.
Waiting on Author+
The author has feedback to address before review can move forward.
Ready for Committer+
A reviewer considers it ready for a committer’s attention. A committer may still request changes.
Committed+
A committer has applied the patch to the repository. That alone does not tell you which released version contains it.
THE OFFICIAL WORK HAPPENS OVER THERE.