Azure PostgreSQL in VS Code: New Performance Tools

Introduction

Microsoft is improving how teams manage and tune Azure Database for PostgreSQL by bringing more performance tooling directly into Visual Studio Code. For IT administrators, DBAs, and developers, this matters because database troubleshooting often spans multiple tools, slowing response times and increasing operational risk.

What’s new in the PostgreSQL extension for VS Code

The latest enhancements focus on integrating diagnostics, tuning, and development tasks into a single experience.

Server Metrics Dashboard

• View CPU, memory, storage, and connection metrics directly in VS Code
• Access Azure-integrated telemetry and historical insights
• Reduce the time needed to move from issue detection to investigation

Azure Advisor recommendations in the editor

• Surface Azure Advisor guidance inside VS Code
• Get recommendations for configuration, indexing, and resource optimization
• Align tuning decisions with actual workload telemetry

Query plan visualization and AI assistance

• Improved query plan visualization makes execution plans easier to interpret
• New AI-assisted query analysis and optimization helps identify bottlenecks faster
• Supports teams that need better PostgreSQL performance without requiring every developer to be a database expert

Better SQL authoring and database navigation

• Schema-aware IntelliSense for more accurate SQL development
• search_path-aware query authoring for better context in complex environments
• Improved object explorer reliability for large databases
• Support for Microsoft Entra ID authentication and Azure resource discovery

Why this matters for IT admins and platform teams

These updates can help standardize PostgreSQL operations across development and production environments. Instead of switching between SQL tools, dashboards, and the Azure portal, teams can investigate performance issues and act on recommendations from within VS Code.

For enterprises running PostgreSQL at scale, that means:

• Faster troubleshooting
• Better collaboration between developers and DBAs
• More consistent tuning practices
• Lower operational friction and risk

What about Azure HorizonDB?

Microsoft also highlighted Azure HorizonDB, now in public preview, as a PostgreSQL-compatible option for AI-native and cloud-native workloads. However, Azure Database for PostgreSQL remains the recommended platform for most production use cases today.

Next steps

If your organization runs PostgreSQL on Azure, test the updated PostgreSQL extension for Visual Studio Code in a non-production environment first. Review how the metrics dashboard, Advisor recommendations, and query analysis features fit into your existing database operations workflow before broader rollout.