Databases · Senior · Question 2 of 75
What is transaction ID wraparound, and why is it dangerous?
- 1A bug where transactions run in a loop
- ✓Correct answer: Transaction IDs are 32-bit and reused; if old rows aren't frozen by VACUUM in time, PostgreSQL stops accepting writes to protect data
- 3When the WAL file reaches its maximum size
Explanation
Autovacuum freezes old rows long before the limit. Disabling autovacuum or holding very long transactions can push a database toward a forced shutdown.