pg_kpart version 1.0, a PostgreSQL extension that blocks queries performing full-partition scans on partitioned tables, has been released. The extension enforces a simple rule: if a query against a protected partitioned table cannot prune any partitions, it is not allowed to run. Instead, the query author receives a clear error message, forcing them to rewrite the query with a filter on the partition key.
For developers and DBAs, this addresses a common and painful issue: accidental full-hierarchy scans caused by missing WHERE or JOIN conditions on the partition key. On tables with hundreds of millions or billions of rows, such queries saturate I/O and collapse performance for all connections. pg_kpart turns the best practice of always filtering on the partition key from a fragile convention into an enforced rule, preventing server-wide disruptions.
Source: https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/pg_kpart-version-10-3316/