# track_counts

> track_counts — Collects statistics on database activity. Observed in PG9.0–19 Beta 3; its last measured boot default is on in PG19 Beta 3, with superuser context. This is a beta-snapshot fact and can change before PostgreSQL 19 GA.
---

> [!NOTE]
> **Fact — official short description:** “Collects statistics on database activity.”

## Identity {#identity}

| Field | Value | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Type | `bool` | Upstream pg_settings type |
| Context | `superuser` | Settable at runtime by a superuser |
| Unit | — | Raw unit |
| Range | — | Raw limits in the last observed version |
| Enum values | — | — for non-enum types |
| Category | Statistics / Cumulative Query and Index Statistics | Upstream classification |
| Latest boot value | `on` | on |
{.fields meta="-"}

## Lifecycle {#lifecycle}

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| First observed | PG9.0 (research boundary) |
| Present in | PG9.0–19 Beta 3 |
| Removed in | No |
| Introduction commit | Not asserted: predates the PG9.0 research boundary |
| Commit date | — |
| Discussion | — |

## Default history {#default-history}

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

## How it works {#mechanism}

track_counts feeds PostgreSQL's cumulative database, table, and index activity counters. Autovacuum depends on these counts to decide when tables need vacuum and analyze.

Turning it off removes planner and maintenance telemetry and can prevent normal autovacuum triggering. It does not reset already stored counters by itself.

The statistics are exposed through pg_stat views under snapshot rules controlled by stats_fetch_consistency. Collection is server-wide, while visibility remains privilege controlled. Its superuser context permits an authorized session change without a server restart.

## Tuning advice {#tuning-advice}

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

| Workload | Guidance |
| --- | --- |
| OLTP | Keep track_counts=on; normal autovacuum and capacity monitoring rely on it. Disable only in a controlled experiment that does not represent a production configuration. |
| OLAP | Keep track_counts=on for maintenance decisions even if queries are batch oriented. Counter collection is more valuable than the small saving from losing autovacuum inputs. |
| Small nodes | Keep track_counts=on. Small systems still need autovacuum and table-activity visibility. |
{.full-width}

## Pigsty {#pigsty}

Values use the fixed 8-vCPU, 32-GiB, 100-GiB SSD fixture and render the current Pigsty templates for PG19 Beta 3; 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: PG9.0–19 Beta 3 unmodified; OLAP: PG9.0–19 Beta 3 unmodified; CRIT: PG9.0–19 Beta 3 unmodified; TINY: PG9.0–19 Beta 3 unmodified. No Pigsty-specific rationale is inferred from an absent override.

## Common pitfalls {#common-pitfalls}

- Enabling or enlarging track_counts without measuring collection and observation overhead.
- Confusing collection semantics with a performance-control or I/O-control setting.
- Assuming all statistics are immediately current inside a long transaction.
- Collecting sensitive query text or identifiers without matching access and retention policy.

## Related parameters {#related-parameters}

[`autovacuum`](/parameters/autovacuum/) · [`stats_fetch_consistency`](/parameters/stats-fetch-consistency/) · [`track_activities`](/parameters/track-activities/) · [`default_statistics_target`](/parameters/default-statistics-target/) · [`log_autovacuum_min_duration`](/parameters/log-autovacuum-min-duration/)

## References {#references}

- [PostgreSQL 19 Beta 3 — track_counts](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/19/runtime-config-statistics.html#GUC-TRACK-COUNTS)
- [PostgreSQL 19 release notes](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/19/release-19.html)
- [Machine-readable GUC export](/data/guc.jsonl)