writing

PostgreSQL's JSON and JSONB types are powerful, but they're not a replacement for a document store. This post breaks down the storage mechanics, indexing tradeoffs, query performance characteristics, and the specific patterns where JSON in Postgres shines — and where it burns you.

How the classic birthday paradox leads naturally to understanding load distribution in distributed systems, and sets the stage for Google's "Consistent Hashing with Bounded Loads." A quick conceptual bridge between probability and systems design.