diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
index 4920fbc..acfc6d8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
@@ -89,9 +89,19 @@ jobs:
             test: { from: 15, to: 17, name: "15 to 17 (multi-step)" }
           - platform: linux/amd64
             test: { from: 14, to: 17, name: "14 to 17 (full upgrade)" }
-          # ARM64 test - just one to verify it works
+          - platform: linux/amd64
+            test: { from: 17, to: 18, name: "17 to 18" }
+          - platform: linux/amd64
+            test: { from: 16, to: 18, name: "16 to 18 (multi-step)" }
+          - platform: linux/amd64
+            test: { from: 15, to: 18, name: "15 to 18 (multi-step)" }
+          - platform: linux/amd64
+            test: { from: 14, to: 18, name: "14 to 18 (full upgrade)" }
+          # ARM64 tests - verify latest versions work
           - platform: linux/arm64
             test: { from: 14, to: 17, name: "14 to 17 (full upgrade)" }
+          - platform: linux/arm64
+            test: { from: 14, to: 18, name: "14 to 18 (full upgrade)" }
     name: Test ${{ matrix.platform }} - ${{ matrix.test.name }}
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
@@ -191,10 +201,28 @@ jobs:
           # Stop streaming logs
           kill $LOGS_PID 2>/dev/null || true
 
-          # Stop and remove container
-          docker stop -t 10 $CONTAINER_ID 2>/dev/null || true
-          docker rm $CONTAINER_ID 2>/dev/null || true
-          exit 0
+          # Check if container exited during the sleep period
+          CONTAINER_STATE=$(docker inspect $CONTAINER_ID --format='{{.State.Status}}')
+          if [ "$CONTAINER_STATE" = "exited" ]; then
+            # Container has exited, check exit code
+            ACTUAL_EXIT_CODE=$(docker inspect $CONTAINER_ID --format='{{.State.ExitCode}}')
+
+            # Clean up container
+            docker rm $CONTAINER_ID 2>/dev/null || true
+
+            # Fail if container exited with non-zero code
+            if [ "$ACTUAL_EXIT_CODE" -ne 0 ]; then
+              echo "Container exited with code $ACTUAL_EXIT_CODE"
+              exit $ACTUAL_EXIT_CODE
+            fi
+
+            echo "Container completed successfully"
+          else
+            # Container is still running, stop and remove it
+            echo "Container still running, stopping gracefully"
+            docker stop -t 10 $CONTAINER_ID 2>/dev/null || true
+            docker rm $CONTAINER_ID 2>/dev/null || true
+          fi
 
       - name: Verify upgraded data
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-push.yml b/.github/workflows/build-push.yml
index 8e6c2dd..6558a5b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-push.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-push.yml
@@ -63,8 +63,10 @@ jobs:
             docker tag ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-15-${IMAGE_TAG} ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-15-latest
             docker tag ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-16-${IMAGE_TAG} ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-16-latest
             docker tag ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-17-${IMAGE_TAG} ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-17-latest
-            
+            docker tag ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-18-${IMAGE_TAG} ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-18-latest
+
             docker push ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-15-latest
             docker push ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-16-latest
             docker push ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-17-latest
+            docker push ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_BASE}:to-18-latest
           fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/feature-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/feature-tests.yml
index d88a32c..8e1496f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/feature-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/feature-tests.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ on:
 env:
   GO_VERSION: '1.21'
   IMAGE_NAME: 'postgres-enhanced-test'
-  POSTGRES_VERSION: '17'
+  POSTGRES_VERSION: '18'
 
 jobs:
   build-test-image:
@@ -339,6 +339,10 @@ jobs:
           - { from: "14", to: "17", extensions: "pgvector,pgaudit,pg_cron" }
           - { from: "15", to: "17", extensions: "pgvector,pgsodium,pgjwt" }
           - { from: "16", to: "17", extensions: "pgvector,pg_stat_monitor,pg_net" }
+          - { from: "14", to: "18", extensions: "pgvector,pgaudit,pg_cron" }
+          - { from: "15", to: "18", extensions: "pgvector,pgsodium,pgjwt" }
+          - { from: "16", to: "18", extensions: "pgvector,pg_stat_monitor,pg_net" }
+          - { from: "17", to: "18", extensions: "pgvector,pgaudit,pg_cron" }
     name: Upgrade Tests - PostgreSQL ${{ matrix.upgrade-path.from }} to ${{ matrix.upgrade-path.to }} with extensions
     
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/helm.yml b/.github/workflows/helm.yml
index 88421c6..7d83078 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/helm.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/helm.yml
@@ -4,14 +4,12 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
-      - master
     paths:
       - 'chart/**'
       - '.github/workflows/helm.yml'
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
-      - master
     paths:
       - 'chart/**'
       - '.github/workflows/helm.yml'
@@ -147,4 +145,4 @@ jobs:
         uses: github/codeql-action/upload-sarif@v3
         if: always()
         with:
-          sarif_file: checkov-results.sarif
\ No newline at end of file
+          sarif_file: checkov-results.sarif
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index fc8d14d..f223373 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -57,13 +57,21 @@ jobs:
             exit 0
           fi
 
-          # Otherwise, determine next patch version using svu
+          # Otherwise, determine next patch version using svu (only for branch pushes)
           CURRENT_VERSION=$(svu current || echo "v0.0.0")
           NEXT_VERSION=$(svu patch)
 
           echo "Current version: $CURRENT_VERSION"
           echo "Next version: $NEXT_VERSION"
 
+          # Validate version is proper semver
+          if [[ ! "$NEXT_VERSION" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+            echo "Warning: Generated version '$NEXT_VERSION' is not valid semver, stopping workflow"
+            echo "version=" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "is_new_version=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
           echo "version=$NEXT_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           echo "is_new_version=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
@@ -81,7 +89,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        pg_version: [16, 17]
+        pg_version: [16, 17, 18]
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -119,6 +127,7 @@ jobs:
     outputs:
       pg16_version: ${{ steps.versions.outputs.pg16_version }}
       pg17_version: ${{ steps.versions.outputs.pg17_version }}
+      pg18_version: ${{ steps.versions.outputs.pg18_version }}
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -133,10 +142,16 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: postgres-17
 
+      - name: Download PostgreSQL 18 image
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: postgres-18
+
       - name: Load Docker images
         run: |
           docker load < postgres-16.tar
           docker load < postgres-17.tar
+          docker load < postgres-18.tar
 
       - name: Get PostgreSQL versions from built images
         id: versions
@@ -207,6 +222,15 @@ jobs:
             arch: arm64
             platform: linux/arm64
             pg_version: 17
+          # PostgreSQL 18 builds
+          - runner: ubuntu-latest
+            arch: amd64
+            platform: linux/amd64
+            pg_version: 18
+          - runner: ubuntu-24.04-arm
+            arch: arm64
+            platform: linux/arm64
+            pg_version: 18
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -226,8 +250,10 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           if [ "${{ matrix.pg_version }}" = "16" ]; then
             echo "minor_version=${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg16_version }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          else
+          elif [ "${{ matrix.pg_version }}" = "17" ]; then
             echo "minor_version=${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg17_version }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          else
+            echo "minor_version=${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg18_version }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           fi
 
           # Extract git tag (remove 'v' prefix if present)
@@ -263,7 +289,7 @@ jobs:
       packages: write
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        pg_version: [16, 17]
+        pg_version: [16, 17, 18]
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -283,8 +309,10 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           if [ "${{ matrix.pg_version }}" = "16" ]; then
             echo "minor_version=${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg16_version }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          else
+          elif [ "${{ matrix.pg_version }}" = "17" ]; then
             echo "minor_version=${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg17_version }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          else
+            echo "minor_version=${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg18_version }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           fi
 
           # Extract git tag (remove 'v' prefix if present)
@@ -317,13 +345,13 @@ jobs:
             ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.versions.outputs.minor_version }}-${{ steps.versions.outputs.sha_short }}-amd64 \
             ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.versions.outputs.minor_version }}-${{ steps.versions.outputs.sha_short }}-arm64
 
-      - name: Create and push latest tag for PostgreSQL 17
-        if: matrix.pg_version == '17'
+      - name: Create and push latest tag for PostgreSQL 18
+        if: matrix.pg_version == '18'
         run: |
           docker buildx imagetools create -t \
             ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:latest \
-            ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:17-amd64 \
-            ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:17-arm64
+            ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:18-amd64 \
+            ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:18-arm64
 
   create-release:
     needs: [determine-version, build-postgres-cli, merge-manifests, get-postgres-versions]
@@ -345,6 +373,18 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           # Use version from determine-version job
           VERSION="${{ needs.determine-version.outputs.version }}"
+
+          # Validate version is not empty and is proper semver
+          if [[ -z "$VERSION" ]]; then
+            echo "Error: VERSION is empty, skipping release creation"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          if [[ ! "$VERSION" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+            echo "Error: VERSION '$VERSION' is not valid semver"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
           # Remove 'v' prefix if present
           TAG="${VERSION#v}"
           echo "release_tag=$TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
@@ -370,7 +410,12 @@ jobs:
           - \`${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:17\` - Latest PostgreSQL 17 major version
           - \`${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg17_version }}\` - Specific minor version
           - \`${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg17_version }}-${{ steps.versions.outputs.sha_short }}\` - Version with commit SHA
-          - \`${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:latest\` - Points to PostgreSQL 17
+
+          ### PostgreSQL 18 (Current: ${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg18_version }})
+          - \`${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:18\` - Latest PostgreSQL 18 major version
+          - \`${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg18_version }}\` - Specific minor version
+          - \`${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg18_version }}-${{ steps.versions.outputs.sha_short }}\` - Version with commit SHA
+          - \`${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:latest\` - Points to PostgreSQL 18
 
           ## Usage
 
@@ -378,7 +423,7 @@ jobs:
           \`\`\`bash
           docker run --rm \\
             -v /path/to/pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data \\
-            ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:17
+            ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:18
           \`\`\`
 
           ### Upgrade and Start PostgreSQL
@@ -387,20 +432,21 @@ jobs:
             -v /path/to/pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data \\
             -e START_POSTGRES=true \\
             -p 5432:5432 \\
-            ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:17
+            ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:18
           \`\`\`
 
           ## Supported Upgrade Paths
 
-          - PostgreSQL 14 → 15, 16, 17
-          - PostgreSQL 15 → 16, 17
-          - PostgreSQL 16 → 17
+          - PostgreSQL 14 → 15, 16, 17, 18
+          - PostgreSQL 15 → 16, 17, 18
+          - PostgreSQL 16 → 17, 18
+          - PostgreSQL 17 → 18
 
-          Sequential upgrades are performed automatically (e.g., 14→15→16→17).
+          Sequential upgrades are performed automatically (e.g., 14→15→16→17→18).
 
           ## Environment Variables
 
-          - \`PG_VERSION\`: Target PostgreSQL version (16 or 17)
+          - \`PG_VERSION\`: Target PostgreSQL version (16, 17, or 18)
           - \`START_POSTGRES\`: Start PostgreSQL after upgrade (default: false)
           - \`AUTO_UPGRADE\`: Enable auto-upgrade (default: true)
           - \`RESET_PASSWORD\`: Reset password on startup (default: false)
@@ -470,8 +516,13 @@ jobs:
           PG17_TAG="pg17-${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg17_version }}-${SHA_SHORT}"
           git tag -a "$PG17_TAG" -m "PostgreSQL 17.${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg17_version }} release"
 
+          # PostgreSQL 18 tags
+          PG18_TAG="pg18-${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg18_version }}-${SHA_SHORT}"
+          git tag -a "$PG18_TAG" -m "PostgreSQL 18.${{ needs.get-postgres-versions.outputs.pg18_version }} release"
+
           # Push tags
           git push origin "$PG16_TAG"
           git push origin "$PG17_TAG"
+          git push origin "$PG18_TAG"
 
-          echo "Created tags: $PG16_TAG, $PG17_TAG"
+          echo "Created tags: $PG16_TAG, $PG17_TAG, $PG18_TAG"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 0d29cea..43d9608 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        target_version: ['15', '16', '17']
+        target_version: ['15', '16', '17', '18']
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -51,6 +51,13 @@ jobs:
               # Test all paths to 17
               make test
               ;;
+            18)
+              # Test all paths to 18
+              make test-14-to-18
+              make test-15-to-18
+              make test-16-to-18
+              make test-17-to-18
+              ;;
           esac
 
   test-complete-suite:
@@ -84,4 +91,4 @@ jobs:
             # Run basic feature verification
             task test:verify-extensions || echo "Extensions verification not available"
             task test:verify-services || echo "Services verification not available"
-          fi
\ No newline at end of file
+          fi
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index c15bf45..bdbb5c5 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ task dev-setup
 The upgrade process:
 
 1. **Detection**: Identifies current PostgreSQL version from data directory
-2. **Planning**: Determines upgrade path (e.g., 14→15→16→17)
+2. **Planning**: Determines upgrade path (e.g., 14→15→16→17→18)
 3. **Execution**: Runs pg_upgrade with hard links for efficiency
 4. **Verification**: Validates upgraded database
 5. **Cleanup**: Preserves old data with `.old` suffix
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ Extensions are managed through:
 task build-all
 
 # Build specific version
+task build:build-18    # PostgreSQL 18
 task build:build-17    # PostgreSQL 17
 task build:build-16    # PostgreSQL 16
 task build:build-15    # PostgreSQL 15
@@ -160,6 +161,7 @@ task build-all          # Build all version images
 task build:build-15     # PostgreSQL 15 image
 task build:build-16     # PostgreSQL 16 image
 task build:build-17     # PostgreSQL 17 image
+task build:build-18     # PostgreSQL 18 image
 
 # Push to registry
 task build:push-all     # Push all images
@@ -175,9 +177,10 @@ task test-image         # Test Docker image
 task test:all           # Comprehensive test suite
 
 # Specific test paths
-task test:upgrade-14-to-17
-task test:upgrade-15-to-17
-task test:upgrade-16-to-17
+task test:upgrade-14-to-18
+task test:upgrade-15-to-18
+task test:upgrade-16-to-18
+task test:upgrade-17-to-18
 
 # Test management
 task test:seed-all      # Seed test data
@@ -226,6 +229,7 @@ make build              # Build default image
 make build-15           # Build PostgreSQL 15
 make build-16           # Build PostgreSQL 16
 make build-17           # Build PostgreSQL 17
+make build-18           # Build PostgreSQL 18
 make build-all          # Build all versions
 
 # Custom registry
@@ -238,6 +242,7 @@ REGISTRY=myregistry.io IMAGE_TAG=v1.0.0 make build-all
 make push-15            # Push PostgreSQL 15
 make push-16            # Push PostgreSQL 16
 make push-17            # Push PostgreSQL 17
+make push-18            # Push PostgreSQL 18
 make push-all           # Push all images
 
 # Custom registry
@@ -256,9 +261,13 @@ make test-all           # Comprehensive suite
 make test-14-to-15
 make test-14-to-16
 make test-14-to-17
+make test-14-to-18
 make test-15-to-16
 make test-15-to-17
+make test-15-to-18
 make test-16-to-17
+make test-16-to-18
+make test-17-to-18
 ```
 
 ### CLI Commands
@@ -382,8 +391,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        from: [14, 15, 16]
-        to: [15, 16, 17]
+        from: [14, 15, 16, 17]
+        to: [15, 16, 17, 18]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
       - run: task test:upgrade-${{ matrix.from }}-to-${{ matrix.to }}
@@ -660,7 +669,7 @@ Update documentation for:
 
 1. Add extension to Dockerfile:
 ```dockerfile
-RUN apt-get install -y postgresql-17-newext
+RUN apt-get install -y postgresql-18-newext
 ```
 
 2. Update extension list:
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index d1f012c..befaab1 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ ARG TARGETOS
 ENV TARGETARCH=${TARGETARCH}
 ENV TARGETOS=${TARGETOS}
 
-# Default PostgreSQL version (can be 14, 15, 16, or 17)
-ARG PG_VERSION=17
+# Default PostgreSQL version (can be 14, 15, 16, 17 or 18)
+ARG PG_VERSION=18
 ENV PG_VERSION=${PG_VERSION}
 
 # Labels
@@ -50,21 +50,24 @@ RUN set -eux; \
     wget --quiet -O - https://www.postgresql.org/media/keys/ACCC4CF8.asc | gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/postgresql-archive-keyring.gpg && \
     echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/postgresql-archive-keyring.gpg] http://apt.postgresql.org/pub/repos/apt $(lsb_release -cs)-pgdg main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pgdg.list
 
-# Install PostgreSQL versions 14-17 and essential tools
+# Install PostgreSQL versions 14-18 and essential tools
 RUN apt-get update && \
     apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
         postgresql-14 \
         postgresql-15 \
         postgresql-16 \
         postgresql-17 \
+        postgresql-18 \
         postgresql-client-14 \
         postgresql-client-15 \
         postgresql-client-16 \
         postgresql-client-17 \
+        postgresql-client-18 \
         postgresql-contrib-14 \
         postgresql-contrib-15 \
         postgresql-contrib-16 \
         postgresql-contrib-17 \
+        postgresql-contrib-18 \
         gosu \
         jq \
         curl \
@@ -88,6 +91,7 @@ ENV PG14BIN=/usr/lib/postgresql/14/bin
 ENV PG15BIN=/usr/lib/postgresql/15/bin
 ENV PG16BIN=/usr/lib/postgresql/16/bin
 ENV PG17BIN=/usr/lib/postgresql/17/bin
+ENV PG18BIN=/usr/lib/postgresql/18/bin
 
 # Data directory
 ENV PGDATA=/var/lib/postgresql/data
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 52f5421..c8ab29e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ PostgreSQL distribution with automatic version upgrades, password recovery, perf
 
 ## Key Features
 
-- **Automatic PostgreSQL upgrades** - Handles upgrade paths from 14→15→16→17 using pg_upgrade with hard links
+- **Automatic PostgreSQL upgrades** - Handles upgrade paths from 14→15→16→17→18 using pg_upgrade with hard links
 - **Password recovery** - Reset passwords without data loss using single-user mode in init containers
 - **PgTune auto-configuration** - Calculates optimal settings based on container memory/CPU limits
 - **16 pre-compiled extensions** - pgvector, pgsodium, pgjwt, pgaudit, pg_cron, and more included
@@ -144,13 +144,13 @@ The postgres-cli tool provides intelligent PostgreSQL version upgrades with zero
 ### Upgrade Detection and Planning
 
 1. **Version Detection**: Reads `/var/lib/postgresql/data/PG_VERSION` to identify current version
-2. **Upgrade Path Planning**: Determines sequential upgrade steps (e.g., 14→15→16→17)
+2. **Upgrade Path Planning**: Determines sequential upgrade steps (e.g., 14→15→16→17→18)
 3. **Validation**: Ensures data directory exists and PostgreSQL is stopped
 
 ### Multi-Phase Upgrade Process
 
 ```
-Current Data (v14) → Backup → Sequential Upgrades → Final Version (v17)
+Current Data (v14) → Backup → Sequential Upgrades → Final Version (v18)
                         ↓
                   /backups/data-14 (preserved)
 ```
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ The `Postgres.Upgrade()` method in `pkg/server/postgres.go` orchestrates:
    - Excludes recursive backup/upgrade directories
 
 2. **Sequential Version Upgrades** (`upgradeSingle`):
-   - For each version hop (14→15, 15→16, 16→17):
+   - For each version hop (14→15, 15→16, 16→17, 17→18):
      - Validates current cluster with `pg_controldata`
      - Initializes new cluster in `/var/lib/postgresql/data/upgrades/{version}`
      - Runs `pg_upgrade --check` for compatibility verification
@@ -220,8 +220,10 @@ The Docker container orchestrates upgrades through a layered approach:
 
 | Image | Description |
 |-------|-------------|
+| `ghcr.io/flanksource/postgres:18-latest` | PostgreSQL 18 with all extensions |
 | `ghcr.io/flanksource/postgres:17-latest` | PostgreSQL 17 with all extensions |
 | `ghcr.io/flanksource/postgres:16-latest` | PostgreSQL 16 with all extensions |
+| `ghcr.io/flanksource/postgres-upgrade:to-18` | Upgrade-only image to PostgreSQL 18 |
 | `ghcr.io/flanksource/postgres-upgrade:to-17` | Upgrade-only image to PostgreSQL 17 |
 
 ## Automatic Performance Tuning
@@ -297,7 +299,7 @@ docker run --rm \
 
 ```yaml
 database:
-  version: "17"
+  version: "18"
   password: "change-me"
   autoUpgrade: true
   resetPassword: false
@@ -343,7 +345,7 @@ helm install my-postgres flanksource/postgres-upgrade -f values.yaml
 
 ```bash
 helm upgrade my-postgres flanksource/postgres-upgrade \
-  --set database.version=17 \
+  --set database.version=18 \
   --reuse-values
 
 kubectl rollout restart statefulset/my-postgres
@@ -442,9 +444,10 @@ The postgres-cli orchestrates safe, sequential PostgreSQL upgrades with full dat
 
 | From | To | Process | Backup Location |
 |------|-----|---------|-----------------|
-| PostgreSQL 14 | PostgreSQL 17 | Sequential: 14→15→16→17 | `/data/backups/data-14` |
-| PostgreSQL 15 | PostgreSQL 17 | Sequential: 15→16→17 | `/data/backups/data-15` |
-| PostgreSQL 16 | PostgreSQL 17 | Direct: 16→17 | `/data/backups/data-16` |
+| PostgreSQL 14 | PostgreSQL 18 | Sequential: 14→15→16→17→18 | `/data/backups/data-14` |
+| PostgreSQL 15 | PostgreSQL 18 | Sequential: 15→16→17→18 | `/data/backups/data-15` |
+| PostgreSQL 16 | PostgreSQL 18 | Sequential: 16→17→18 | `/data/backups/data-16` |
+| PostgreSQL 17 | PostgreSQL 18 | Direct: 17→18 | `/data/backups/data-17` |
 
 ### Technical Implementation
 
@@ -526,7 +529,7 @@ If an upgrade fails:
 | `POSTGRES_USER` | Database user | `postgres` |
 | `POSTGRES_DB` | Default database | `postgres` |
 | `POSTGRES_EXTENSIONS` | Comma-separated extensions | None |
-| `PG_VERSION` | Target PostgreSQL version | `17` |
+| `PG_VERSION` | Target PostgreSQL version | `18` |
 | `AUTO_UPGRADE` | Enable automatic upgrades | `true` |
 | `RESET_PASSWORD` | Reset password on startup | `false` |
 | `PGBOUNCER_ENABLED` | Enable PgBouncer | `false` |
diff --git a/Taskfile.build.yaml b/Taskfile.build.yaml
index e7b9e7b..06f2891 100644
--- a/Taskfile.build.yaml
+++ b/Taskfile.build.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ vars:
   REGISTRY: '{{.REGISTRY | default "ghcr.io"}}'
   IMAGE_BASE: '{{.IMAGE_BASE | default "flanksource/postgres"}}'
   IMAGE_TAG: '{{.IMAGE_TAG | default "latest"}}'
-  TARGET_VERSIONS: [15, 16, 17]
+  TARGET_VERSIONS: [15, 16, 17, 18]
 
 tasks:
   build:
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ tasks:
     cmds:
       - for:
           matrix:
-            VERSION: [15, 16, 17]
+            VERSION: [15, 16, 17, 18]
         task: build-version
         vars:
           VERSION: "{{.ITEM.VERSION}}"
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ tasks:
       - task: build-version
         vars: { VERSION: "17" }
 
+  build-18:
+    desc: Build image that upgrades to PostgreSQL 18
+    cmds:
+      - task: build-version
+        vars: { VERSION: "18" }
+
   build-all:
     desc: Build all target version images
     cmds:
@@ -110,6 +116,12 @@ tasks:
       - task: push-version
         vars: { VERSION: "17" }
 
+  push-18:
+    desc: Push PostgreSQL 18 upgrade image
+    cmds:
+      - task: push-version
+        vars: { VERSION: "18" }
+
   push-all:
     desc: Push all target version images
     cmds:
diff --git a/Taskfile.test.yaml b/Taskfile.test.yaml
index 359292f..970f0ed 100644
--- a/Taskfile.test.yaml
+++ b/Taskfile.test.yaml
@@ -112,6 +112,42 @@ tasks:
         echo "🧪 Testing upgrade from PostgreSQL 16 to 17..."
         go test {{.GO_TEST_FLAGS}} -run "TestPostgresUpgrade/Upgrade_16_to_17"
 
+  upgrade-14-to-18:
+    desc: Test upgrade from PostgreSQL 14 to 18
+    dir: "{{.TEST_DIR}}"
+    deps: [build]
+    cmds:
+      - |
+        echo "🧪 Testing upgrade from PostgreSQL 14 to 18..."
+        go test {{.GO_TEST_FLAGS}} -run "TestPostgresUpgrade/Upgrade_14_to_18"
+
+  upgrade-15-to-18:
+    desc: Test upgrade from PostgreSQL 15 to 18
+    dir: "{{.TEST_DIR}}"
+    deps: [build]
+    cmds:
+      - |
+        echo "🧪 Testing upgrade from PostgreSQL 15 to 18..."
+        go test {{.GO_TEST_FLAGS}} -run "TestPostgresUpgrade/Upgrade_15_to_18"
+
+  upgrade-16-to-18:
+    desc: Test upgrade from PostgreSQL 16 to 18
+    dir: "{{.TEST_DIR}}"
+    deps: [build]
+    cmds:
+      - |
+        echo "🧪 Testing upgrade from PostgreSQL 16 to 18..."
+        go test {{.GO_TEST_FLAGS}} -run "TestPostgresUpgrade/Upgrade_16_to_18"
+
+  upgrade-17-to-18:
+    desc: Test upgrade from PostgreSQL 17 to 18
+    dir: "{{.TEST_DIR}}"
+    deps: [build]
+    cmds:
+      - |
+        echo "🧪 Testing upgrade from PostgreSQL 17 to 18..."
+        go test {{.GO_TEST_FLAGS}} -run "TestPostgresUpgrade/Upgrade_17_to_18"
+
   upgrade-15-to-16:
     desc: Test upgrade from PostgreSQL 15 to 16
     dir: "{{.TEST_DIR}}"
diff --git a/chart/README.md b/chart/README.md
index df07278..c6ba1fb 100644
--- a/chart/README.md
+++ b/chart/README.md
@@ -120,9 +120,10 @@ When `postgresql.autoUpgrade` is enabled (default), the container will:
 
 ### Supported Upgrade Paths
 
-- PostgreSQL 14 → 15, 16, 17
-- PostgreSQL 15 → 16, 17
-- PostgreSQL 16 → 17
+- PostgreSQL 14 → 15, 16, 17, 18
+- PostgreSQL 15 → 16, 17, 18
+- PostgreSQL 16 → 17, 18
+- PostgreSQL 17 → 18
 
 ## Testing
 
diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index 339e7c5..af9da8a 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -421,8 +421,8 @@ func runAutoStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 		targetVersion := upgradeTo
 		if targetVersion == 0 {
-			// Auto-detect latest available version (default to 17)
-			targetVersion = 17
+			// Auto-detect latest available version (default to 18)
+			targetVersion = 18
 		}
 
 		if currentVersion < targetVersion {
diff --git a/pkg/server/postgres.go b/pkg/server/postgres.go
index ec3a275..51320c4 100644
--- a/pkg/server/postgres.go
+++ b/pkg/server/postgres.go
@@ -369,6 +369,11 @@ func (p *Postgres) InitDB() error {
 		"-U", "postgres", // Always use postgres superuser
 	}
 
+	if p.GetVersion() == "18" && false {
+		args = append(args, "--no-data-checksums")
+		// if pg17 does not have this enabled, pg17->pg18 migration will fail
+	}
+
 	process := clicky.Exec(filepath.Join(p.BinDir, "initdb"), args...).Run()
 
 	// Generally no password needed for initdb with trust auth
@@ -477,8 +482,8 @@ func (p *Postgres) Upgrade(targetVersion int) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if currentVersion < 14 || targetVersion > 17 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("invalid version range. Current: %d, Target: %d. Supported versions: 14-17", currentVersion, targetVersion)
+	if currentVersion < 14 || targetVersion > 18 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid version range. Current: %d, Target: %d. Supported versions: 14-18", currentVersion, targetVersion)
 	}
 
 	// Check if data exists
@@ -589,7 +594,8 @@ func (p *Postgres) upgradeSingle(fromVersion, toVersion int) error {
 
 	// Run pg_upgrade
 	fmt.Printf("⚡ Performing pg_upgrade from PostgreSQL %d to %d...\n", fromVersion, toVersion)
-	if err := p.runPgUpgrade(oldBinDir, newBinDir, p.DataDir, newDataDir); err != nil {
+	link := (fromVersion == 17 && toVersion == 18)
+	if err := p.runPgUpgrade(oldBinDir, newBinDir, p.DataDir, newDataDir, link); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("pg_upgrade failed: %w", err)
 	}
 
@@ -700,11 +706,17 @@ func (p *Postgres) initNewCluster(binDir, dataDir string) error {
 
 	// Initialize with UTF8 encoding and en_US.UTF-8 locale for compatibility
 	// This matches most common PostgreSQL deployments and allows for upgrade compatibility
-	process := clicky.Exec(
-		filepath.Join(binDir, "initdb"),
+	args := []string{
 		"-D", dataDir,
 		"--encoding=UTF8",
 		"--locale=en_US.UTF-8",
+	}
+	if p.GetVersion() == "18" {
+		args = append(args, "--no-data-checksums") // if pg17 does not have this enabled, pg17->pg18 migration will fail
+	}
+	process := clicky.Exec(
+		filepath.Join(binDir, "initdb"),
+		args...,
 	).Run()
 	p.lastStdout = process.Stdout.String()
 	p.lastStderr = process.Stderr.String()
@@ -717,7 +729,7 @@ func (p *Postgres) initNewCluster(binDir, dataDir string) error {
 }
 
 // runPgUpgrade executes the pg_upgrade command
-func (p *Postgres) runPgUpgrade(oldBinDir, newBinDir, oldDataDir, newDataDir string) error {
+func (p *Postgres) runPgUpgrade(oldBinDir, newBinDir, oldDataDir, newDataDir string, link bool) error {
 	// Create socket directory
 	socketDir := "/var/run/postgresql"
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(socketDir, 0755); err != nil {
@@ -777,6 +789,10 @@ func (p *Postgres) runPgUpgrade(oldBinDir, newBinDir, oldDataDir, newDataDir str
 		"--new-options=" + localeOpts,
 	}
 
+	if link {
+		upgradeArgs = append(upgradeArgs, "--link")
+	}
+
 	fmt.Println("Performing upgrade...")
 	upgradeProcess := clicky.Exec(filepath.Join(newBinDir, "pg_upgrade"), upgradeArgs...).Run()
 	p.lastStdout = upgradeProcess.Stdout.String()