Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a major shift in the database world. More and more companies are moving away from Microsoft SQL Server and embracing PostgreSQL.
At first, I didn’t think much of it. After all, SQL Server had been my professional home for decades. But then, one project after another started involving PostgreSQL. Suddenly, I found myself in conversations where “PostgreSQL” was no longer an exotic open-source experiment – it was becoming the default choice for modern data platforms.
And if you’ve been a SQL Server professional for a while, you’ve probably felt this shift too. Clients are asking about PostgreSQL, teams are deploying it in the cloud, and hiring managers are starting to list it right next to SQL Server as a required skill.
That’s when reality hits: you know SQL Server inside out – but PostgreSQL feels… familiar and foreign at the same time.
The Frustration of Learning PostgreSQL the Hard Way
Most SQL Server professionals who try to learn PostgreSQL on their own make the same mistake I did at first. They assume that because both are relational databases, the behavior must be identical.
But it isn’t.
Execution plans look different. Indexing behaves differently. Locking works completely differently. And just when you think you’ve figured it out, PostgreSQL throws you a curveball that makes you question everything you thought you knew. I still remember sitting late at night, trying to tune a query that would have been trivial in SQL Server – and feeling completely lost in the PostgreSQL execution plan.
That’s when it hit me:
I wasn’t starting from zero – I was just missing the bridge.
You Don’t Need to Start from Scratch
After years of working with both SQL Server and PostgreSQL, I realized that the key is not to learn PostgreSQL as a completely new technology. The real secret is to understand how your existing SQL Server knowledge translates into the PostgreSQL world – where it applies directly, where it doesn’t, and what mindset shifts are needed to bridge the gap.
Once I started seeing PostgreSQL through that lens, everything changed. Suddenly, execution plans made sense again. Performance tuning felt familiar. And database migrations became predictable instead of painful.
That’s exactly what I want to share with you.
Join Me Live on November 12
On Wednesday, November 12, I’m hosting a free live webinar where I’ll guide you through the essential steps to mastering PostgreSQL as a SQL Server professional – without spending months on trial and error.
During this live session, I’ll share the most important lessons I learned while making the transition myself. You’ll discover why PostgreSQL has become such a powerful alternative in modern data environments, what the three biggest mistakes are that most SQL Server professionals make when switching, and how you can leverage your existing experience to become fluent in PostgreSQL quickly and confidently.
This isn’t a marketing presentation – it’s a practical, technical deep dive built for people who actually work with databases every day.
What You’ll Take Away
By the end of the webinar, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to avoid the most common migration pitfalls and how to think like a PostgreSQL engineer while still drawing on your SQL Server expertise. You’ll learn where PostgreSQL truly shines, where its limits are, and how to position yourself as a database professional who can operate confidently in both ecosystems.
At the end of the session, I’ll also introduce my in-depth PostgreSQL training from November 26 – 27, a comprehensive live online training that takes everything we cover in the webinar and turns it into a structured, hands-on learning experience.
Reserve Your Spot
If you’ve been thinking, “I should really learn PostgreSQL“ this is your opportunity to do it the right way. The live webinar takes place on Wednesday, November 12 from 10:00am – 11:30am (UTC+1), and seats are limited to ensure a focused, interactive experience. You can register now directly here:
There won’t be a replay – so make sure to join live.
I’m looking forward to seeing you there and helping you make the leap from SQL Server to PostgreSQL – confidently, efficiently, and without the usual frustration.
Thanks for your time,
-Klaus
