Set up real-time aggregates

Combine pre-aggregated data with the most recent raw data for up-to-date results

Rapidly growing data means you need more control over what to aggregate and how to aggregate it. With this in mind, Timescale equips you with tools for more fine-tuned data analysis.

By default, s do not include the most recent data chunk from the underlying . Real-time aggregates, however, use the aggregated data and add the most recent raw data to it. This provides accurate and up-to-date results, without needing to aggregate data as it is being written.

In v2.13 and later, real-time aggregates are DISABLED by default. In earlier versions, real-time aggregates are ENABLED by default; when you create a , queries to that view include the results from the most recent raw data.

For more detail on the comparison between continuous and real-time aggregates, see our real-time aggregate blog post.

Use real-time aggregates

You can enable and disable real-time aggregation by setting the materialized_only parameter when you create or alter the view.

1. Enable real-time aggregation for an existing

   ALTER MATERIALIZED VIEW table_name set (timescaledb.materialized_only = false);
   

2. Disable real-time aggregation

   Disable real-time aggregation:

   ALTER MATERIALIZED VIEW table_name set (timescaledb.materialized_only = true);
   

Real-time aggregates and refreshing historical data

Real-time aggregates combine materialized data with real-time calculations on recent data. However, if you update, insert, or delete data in a previously materialized time bucket, those changes are not visible in your until you refresh that time bucket again.

For more information and a detailed example, see the troubleshooting guide: Updates to previously materialized regions aren’t shown in real-time aggregates.