https://databasestory.com/ en Long-form conversations with the engineers, open-source contributors and founders behind PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Oracle, storage engines and distributed systems. © 2026 Eren Turkoglu Eren Turkoglu 48fcd006-2190-5cc5-8afd-64b1dc578509 Eren Turkoglu erenxturkoglu@gmail.com https://databasestory.com/assets/podcast-cover.jpg https://databasestory.com/ false episodic Alex talks about teaching himself to code, building storage engines from first principles, creating TidesDB, and why you shouldn't lose your skills to AI. Read the interview: https://databasestory.com/articles/alex-padula.html 00:00 Introduction 02:02 How did you get into computers? 03:23 You also worked many jobs, like carpenter, construction worker or music producer. What was the moment when you decided to focus on computers? 07:32 At what moment did you make the switch to being a founder and building a database from scratch? 14:12 You mention building from first principles. What is your process for building a feature like MVCC without knowing anything about it? 18:10 In simple terms, what is TidesDB and what problem does it solve? 25:35 All of your work is open source. Why? 27:35 Will TidesDB become more enterprise-oriented? 28:37 You started programming at 12 or 13. How does AI change things for you? 33:29 How do you balance the creative part with using AI for repetitive tasks? 39:42 Will AI replace junior engineers? 45:47 What would you tell someone who wants to get into databases but doesn't know where to start? 48:15 Do you have any book recommendations? 54:07 How do you spend your free time? 55:02 People listen more than they read today. That's why I also publish these interviews in audio. What do you think? 55:25 What are your thoughts on Postgres, MySQL and MariaDB? 55:25 Is there anything you'd like to share with readers: a project, a reflection, a message? https://databasestory.com/articles/alex-padula.html databasestory-alex-padula Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT 3430 full false