Keycloak 26 PostgreSQL Support Removal — when and how should I migrate?
Teams running Keycloak on older PostgreSQL versions need to know that current Keycloak 26 documentation no longer lists PostgreSQL releases already end-of-life by November 2025 as supported, and decide whether to upgrade the database before upgrading the identity stack.
Blockers
- Keycloak 26 lists PostgreSQL 14.x as the minimum supported PostgreSQL version as of 2026-04-02.
- package/postgresql-13 — EOL 2025-11-13
- package/postgresql-14 — EOL 2026-11-12
- package/postgresql-16 — EOL 2028-11-09
- package/postgresql-17 — EOL 2029-11-08
Who this is for
- enterprise
- compliance
Candidates
Upgrade PostgreSQL to 14 first, then move to Keycloak 26
As of 2026-04-02, Keycloak's current 26.x database guide lists supported PostgreSQL versions as 14.x, 15.x, 16.x, 17.x, and 18.x. PostgreSQL's official versioning policy shows PostgreSQL 13 reached end-of-life on November 13, 2025, so teams still on 13 or older should treat a database major upgrade as a prerequisite for a supported Keycloak 26 deployment. PostgreSQL 14 is the minimum version still listed as supported by Keycloak 26. PostgreSQL major upgrades require either `pg_upgrade` or a dump/reload.
When to choose
Best for enterprise teams that need the smallest database jump to clear the current Keycloak 26 support floor. Choose this when the immediate blocker is leaving PostgreSQL 13 or older and minimizing near-term change matters more than maximizing support runway.
Tradeoffs
Smallest near-term move and enough to get onto a currently supported Keycloak 26 plus PostgreSQL combination. The downside is short runway because PostgreSQL 14 reaches end-of-life on November 12, 2026.
Cautions
Keycloak's upgrade guide says the database schema is no longer compatible with the old server after upgrade and Keycloak does not support rolling back database changes, so backup and restore planning is mandatory. If you are upgrading from Keycloak releases prior to 26.0.0 without persistent user sessions enabled, existing online sessions will be lost. For large Keycloak schemas, automatic migration may skip index creation above the documented threshold and require manual SQL application.
Upgrade PostgreSQL directly to 16 or 17 before Keycloak 26
As of 2026-04-02, Keycloak's current 26.x database guide lists PostgreSQL 16.x and 17.x as supported. PostgreSQL's official support table gives those versions much longer runways than 14, with final release dates of November 9, 2028 for PostgreSQL 16 and November 8, 2029 for PostgreSQL 17. This clears the PostgreSQL 13 end-of-life blocker and avoids landing on PostgreSQL 14 during its final support year. PostgreSQL major upgrades still require `pg_upgrade` or dump/reload, so the migration step is larger than a minimal move to 14.
When to choose
Best for enterprise and compliance-heavy teams that want a longer support runway and can schedule a deliberate database migration before the Keycloak upgrade. Choose this when you want to avoid back-to-back database major upgrades after the Keycloak 26 move.
Tradeoffs
Longer support life and less repeat platform churn after the identity upgrade. The tradeoff is more migration testing, more extension and operational compatibility checks, and a bigger change window than a direct jump to 14.
Cautions
The same Keycloak rollback warning applies: once the Keycloak upgrade migrates the schema, reverting requires restoring the old installation and the database backup. Keycloak also notes that persistent sessions increase database utilization on login, logout, and refresh-token requests, so database sizing should be revisited alongside the PostgreSQL upgrade.
Try with your AI agent
$ npm install -g pocketlantern $ pocketlantern init # Restart Claude Code, Cursor, or your MCP client, then ask: # "Keycloak 26 PostgreSQL Support Removal — when and how should I migrate?"