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timescale/timescaledb

A PostgreSQL extension for high-performance real-time analytics on time-series and event data.

Open-source alternative to:InfluxDB CloudAmazon Timestream

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What is it?

TimescaleDB adds time-series capabilities to PostgreSQL. It partitions tables into time-based chunks through hypertables, so you keep writing ordinary SQL while the database handles large volumes of timestamped data such as sensor readings, metrics, financial ticks and application events.

For analytics, it provides continuous aggregates that incrementally refresh pre-computed summaries in the background, along with time_bucket() for grouping data by time intervals. Older data can be moved into a columnar, compressed format that the project describes as achieving roughly 90% compression, and queries scan only the relevant time ranges and columns.

TimescaleDB runs as an extension on standard PostgreSQL, so existing tools, drivers and SQL knowledge carry over. The repository includes a quick start using a Docker image, plus example datasets for NYC taxi trips, financial market ticks and application events. A hosted version is offered separately as Tiger Cloud.

Key features

  • 01Hypertables that automatically partition time-series tables into time-based chunks.
  • 02Continuous aggregates that incrementally refresh pre-computed summaries.
  • 03time_bucket() function for aggregating data by time interval.
  • 04Columnar compression for older data, with queries scanning only relevant chunks and columns.
  • 05Runs as a PostgreSQL extension, so standard SQL and PostgreSQL tools still apply.

Use cases

  • Storing and querying IoT sensor readings or device metrics at high ingest rates.
  • Building real-time dashboards over event logs or application monitoring data.
  • Analyzing financial tick data and generating candlestick or OHLC summaries.
  • Running time-based reporting on PostgreSQL without moving data into a separate system.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Start TimescaleDB locally with Docker

    docker run -d --name timescaledb -p 6543:5432 -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=password timescale/timescaledb-ha:pg18
  2. 2

    Connect with psql on port 6543

    psql -h localhost -p 6543 -U postgres

Things to know

  • The license is not clearly identified in the project metadata, so check the license terms before use.
  • The Docker quick start recommends 8GB RAM and requires Docker to be installed.

Topics

#time-series#postgresql#database#analytics#sql#iot#time-series-database#financial-analysis#historian#postgres

FAQ

What is timescaledb?
A PostgreSQL extension for high-performance real-time analytics on time-series and event data. TimescaleDB adds time-series capabilities to PostgreSQL. It partitions tables into time-based chunks through hypertables, so you keep writing ordinary SQL while the database handles large volumes of timestamped data such as sensor readings, metrics, financial ticks and application events.
Is timescaledb free to use? What license does it have?
timescaledb is open source under the Other license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is timescaledb still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to timescaledb was on Oct 21, 2026.
What can I use timescaledb for?
Storing and querying IoT sensor readings or device metrics at high ingest rates. Building real-time dashboards over event logs or application monitoring data. Analyzing financial tick data and generating candlestick or OHLC summaries. Running time-based reporting on PostgreSQL without moving data into a separate system.
How do I install timescaledb?
Start TimescaleDB locally with Docker: docker run -d --name timescaledb -p 6543:5432 -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=password timescale/timescaledb-ha:pg18 Connect with psql on port 6543: psql -h localhost -p 6543 -U postgres
Where can I get timescaledb?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/timescale/timescaledb

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