Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2021 11:27:33 -0400
From: Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us>
To: "David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>
Cc: Laurenz Albe <laurenz.albe@cybertec.at>,
	Grega Jesih <Grega.Jesih@actual-it.si>,
	Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>,
	Pg Docs <pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org>
Subject: Re: text fields and performance for ETL
Message-ID: <20211105152733.GC19812@momjian.us>
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On Fri, Nov  5, 2021 at 07:32:12AM -0700, David G. Johnston wrote:
> On Friday, November 5, 2021, Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> wrote:
> 
> 
>     >
>     > Perhaps, right before the tip you quoted, something like that:
>     >
>     >   If your use case requires a length limit on character data, or
>     compliance
>     >   with the SQL standard is important, use "character varying".
>     >   Otherwise, you are usually better off with "text".
> 
>     I can support that if others think it is valuable.
> 
> 
> 
> The motivating complaint is that we should be encouraging people to use varchar
> (4000) instead of text so external tools can optimize.  If we are not going to
> do that I really don’t see the pointing in changing away from out current
> position of “only use text”.  True length limit requirements for data are rare,
> and better done in constraints along with all other the other constraint that
> may exist for the data.  I believe comments with respect to the SQL standard
> are already present and adequate.

Agreed.

-- 
  Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        https://momjian.us
  EDB                                      https://enterprisedb.com

  If only the physical world exists, free will is an illusion.