LWN.net relies on subscribers to operate. The PostgreSQL community saw intense debates over a small patch adding a new config parameter. The proposal to disable ALTER SYSTEM was seen as a security feature for Kubernetes environments. Core contributor concerns about false security led to heated discussions. After months of back and forth, a consensus was finally reached to implement the restriction as a configuration parameter named ‘allow_alter_system’. The complex debate highlighted the dedication of the developers and concluded successfully, leading to focus on upcoming topics for PostgreSQL development.
https://lwn.net/Articles/968300/