# default_with_oids

> default_with_oids — Create new tables with OIDs by default. Observed in PG9.0–11; its last measured boot default is off in PG11, with user context. It was removed in PG12.
---

> [!NOTE]
> **Fact — official short description:** “Create new tables with OIDs by default.”

## Identity {#identity}

| Field | Value | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Type | `bool` | Upstream pg_settings type |
| Context | `user` | Settable by an ordinary user |
| Unit | — | Raw unit |
| Range | — | Raw limits in the last observed version |
| Enum values | — | — for non-enum types |
| Category | Version and Platform Compatibility / Previous PostgreSQL Versions | Upstream classification |
| Latest boot value | `off` | off |
{.fields meta="-"}

## Lifecycle {#lifecycle}

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| First observed | PG9.0 (research boundary) |
| Present in | PG9.0–11 |
| Removed in | PG12 |
| Introduction commit | Not asserted: predates the PG9.0 research boundary |
| Commit date | — |
| Discussion | — |

## Default history {#default-history}

| Versions | Raw `boot_val` | Unit | Human value |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PG9.0–11 | `off` | — | off |
{.full-width caption="Measured PG9.0–19 Beta 3 boot defaults"}

## How it works {#mechanism}

Create new tables with OIDs by default. The parameter still exists in PG11 and is no longer recognized from PG12. PostgreSQL 12 removed user-table OIDs; use an identity column, sequence, or another explicit key instead.

While present, this changed CREATE TABLE without an explicit WITH/WITHOUT OIDS clause. Table OIDs were neither a durable application key nor guaranteed unique, and the feature disappeared with user-table OIDs in PostgreSQL 12.

Before upgrading, inspect lo_compat_privileges, operator_precedence_warning, synchronize_seqscans, remove the old name from configuration, ALTER SYSTEM, role/database settings, and automation templates, and verify the replacement before starting PG12 or later.

## Tuning advice {#tuning-advice}

> [!TIP]
> **Advice.** These are workload-specific starting points and must be validated with measurements.

| Workload | Guidance |
| --- | --- |
| OLTP | Do not tune or continue emitting default_with_oids on PG12+. PostgreSQL 12 removed user-table OIDs; use an identity column, sequence, or another explicit key instead. Scan every configuration layer and regression-test the application before upgrade. |
| OLAP | Use the same migration path as OLTP, and also verify long batches, standbys, or large-object/extension workflows; removal of the old switch does not promise identical legacy behavior. |
| Small nodes | Delete the obsolete setting and adopt the supported replacement directly; do not emulate legacy behavior in scripts without a demonstrated compatibility requirement. |
{.full-width}

## Pigsty {#pigsty}

Values use the fixed 8-vCPU, 32-GiB, 100-GiB SSD fixture and render the current Pigsty templates for PG11; this does not assert current Pigsty support for that historical or beta release.

| Template | Effective value | Versus upstream boot | Source expression |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| OLTP | Unmodified | — | — |
| OLAP | Unmodified | — | — |
| CRIT | Unmodified | — | — |
| TINY | Unmodified | — | — |
{.full-width}

> [!CAUTION]
> **Advice — pending human review.** Fact from the current Pigsty template projection: OLTP: PG9.0–11 unmodified; OLAP: PG9.0–11 unmodified; CRIT: PG9.0–11 unmodified; TINY: PG9.0–11 unmodified. No Pigsty-specific rationale is inferred from an absent override.

## Common pitfalls {#common-pitfalls}

- Continuing to emit unknown parameter default_with_oids on PG12+.
- Deleting only the setting name without migrating dependent application behavior.
- Assuming the historical default equals the replacement mechanism's default.
- Missing stale entries in ALTER SYSTEM, role/database settings, or automation templates.

## Related parameters {#related-parameters}

[`lo_compat_privileges`](/parameters/lo-compat-privileges/) · [`operator_precedence_warning`](/parameters/operator-precedence-warning/) · [`synchronize_seqscans`](/parameters/synchronize-seqscans/) · [`standard_conforming_strings`](/parameters/standard-conforming-strings/) · [`array_nulls`](/parameters/array-nulls/) · [`backslash_quote`](/parameters/backslash-quote/)

## References {#references}

- [PostgreSQL 11 — default_with_oids](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/11/runtime-config-compatible.html#GUC-DEFAULT-WITH-OIDS)
- [Machine-readable GUC export](/data/guc.jsonl)