pg_cancel_backend and pg_terminate_backend

pg_cancel_backend()
A function which cancels a backend's current query

pg_terminate_backend()
A function which instructs a backend to terminate

From: Wells Oliver <wells(dot)oliver(at)gmail(dot)com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 2:42 PM
To: pgsql-admin <pgsql-admin(at)postgresql(dot)org>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] pg_cancel_backend and pg_terminate_backend

I usually prefer pg_cancel_backend because it seems.. nicer, but lately I've had a troublesome user who leaves transactions open and I've scripted up a call to pg_terminate_backend after 60 minutes in an idle transaction. It works well.

Question: is there any server impact beyond that user's transaction when calling pg_terminate_backend? I feel like there _used_ to be, maybe in PG9, where I recall maybe seeing a server disconnect or something when using terminate.

Just curious about this approach. Thanks.

--
Wells Oliver
wells(dot)oliver(at)gmail(dot)com<mailto:wellsoliver(at)gmail(dot)com>