asyncpg Pool review
An open-source asyncio library for managing reusable PostgreSQL connections in Python apps.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
asyncpg Pool is the pooling API in asyncpg, an open-source PostgreSQL interface library for Python's asyncio framework. It is aimed at developers building Python server applications that need to borrow managed connections for short-lived database work. The pool can reduce the need for an external pooler in that use case. It is a library embedded in the application, not a separate service, and supports PostgreSQL through its native server protocol.
The pool's scope extends beyond connection reuse. Applications can use prepared statements, scrollable cursors, and partial iteration over query results. asyncpg automatically encodes and decodes PostgreSQL types, including arrays and composite types, and allows developers to define custom codecs. This makes it relevant when an application needs PostgreSQL-specific query and type handling alongside pooling. The focus remains PostgreSQL; it is not a multi-database connection layer.
Pooling is session-oriented, with no transaction- or statement-pooling modes documented. That distinction matters for teams seeking a standalone pooler or pooling behavior that operates at transaction or statement scope: asyncpg Pool is not a substitute for those requirements. It is self-hosted as part of a Python application, and documentation is the listed support channel. Choose it when your application uses Python's asyncio framework and needs a PostgreSQL connection pool with query and type features. Consider another approach if you need a separate pooler or non-PostgreSQL database support.
asyncpg Pool pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Manages reusable connections that applications can borrow for queries
- Includes prepared statements, scrollable cursors, and partial result iteration
- Automatically converts PostgreSQL types and supports custom codecs
- Where it doesn't
- Pooling is session-oriented, without transaction or statement pooling modes
- Works with PostgreSQL rather than multiple database systems
- Requires a Python application; it is not a standalone pooler
asyncpg Pool fact sheet, pricing and score →
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