vacuum_cleanup_index_scale_factor

vacuum_cleanup_index_scale_factor is the PostgreSQL setting that defines the number of tuple inserts prior to index cleanup as a fraction of reltuples.

Note

Fact — official short description: “Number of tuple inserts prior to index cleanup as a fraction of reltuples.”

Identity

Type , Valuereal: Upstream pg_settings type
Context , Valueuser: Settable by an ordinary user
Unit , Value—: Raw unit
Range , Value0 – 1e+10: Raw limits in the last observed version
Enum values , Value—: — for non-enum types
Category , ValueClient Connection Defaults / Statement Behavior: Upstream classification
Latest boot value , Value0.1: 0.1

Lifecycle

Fact	Value
First observed	PG11
Present in	PG11–13
Removed in	PG14
Introduction commit	`857f9c36cda5` — Skip full index scan during cleanup of B-tree indexes when possible
Commit date	2018-04-04
Discussion	thread 1

Default history

Measured PG9.0–19 Beta 3 boot defaults
Versions	Raw `boot_val`	Unit	Human value
PG11–13	`0.1`	—	0.1

How it works

vacuum_cleanup_index_scale_factor sets the number of tuple inserts prior to index cleanup as a fraction of reltuples. The PostgreSQL 11–13 knob delayed index cleanup after inserts; it was removed in PostgreSQL 14 when the index-cleanup decision model changed.

vacuum_cleanup_index_scale_factor is a USER-context setting. An authorized role can change it for a session, while ALTER ROLE or ALTER DATABASE can establish a default for future sessions.

The legacy decision applied to B-tree cleanup scans and interacted with VACUUM statistics, inserted tuples, reusable index pages, and autovacuum scheduling; it was not a GIN control.

Tuning advice

Tip

Advice. These are workload-specific starting points and must be validated with measurements.

Workload	Guidance
OLTP	Do not tune vacuum_cleanup_index_scale_factor for a current server: PostgreSQL removed it in 14. On PostgreSQL 11–13, change it only for a measured index-cleanup problem and plan the upgrade behavior.
OLAP	For legacy bulk-load systems, measure actual index maintenance rather than carrying this removed knob forward as configuration folklore.
Small nodes	Leave the legacy default and upgrade; a removed parameter is not a durable way to manage small-node vacuum cost.

Pigsty

Values use the fixed 8-vCPU, 32-GiB, 100-GiB SSD fixture and render the current Pigsty templates for PG13; 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	—	—

Caution

Advice — pending human review. Fact from the current Pigsty template projection: OLTP: PG11–13 unmodified; OLAP: PG11–13 unmodified; CRIT: PG11–13 unmodified; TINY: PG11–13 unmodified. No Pigsty-specific rationale is inferred from an absent override.

Common pitfalls

Changing vacuum_cleanup_index_scale_factor in one session and assuming role defaults, database defaults, or other pooled sessions changed with it.
Applying an old B-tree cleanup heuristic without measuring index scans, reusable pages, and VACUUM behavior on the exact release.
Confusing a removed session default with current autovacuum thresholds or per-table storage parameters.
Keeping an unknown-parameter line during a PostgreSQL 14+ upgrade.

autovacuum · autovacuum_vacuum_scale_factor · vacuum_cost_limit · vacuum_cost_delay · maintenance_work_mem · autovacuum_work_mem