This feature is also known as "quorum commit" especially in discussion
on pgsql-hackers.

This commit adds the following new syntaxes into synchronous_standby_names
GUC. By using FIRST and ANY keywords, users can specify the method to
choose synchronous standbys from the listed servers.

  FIRST num_sync (standby_name [, ...])
  ANY num_sync (standby_name [, ...])

The keyword FIRST specifies a priority-based synchronous replication
which was available also in 9.6 or before. This method makes transaction
commits wait until their WAL records are replicated to num_sync
synchronous standbys chosen based on their priorities.

The keyword ANY specifies a quorum-based synchronous replication
and makes transaction commits wait until their WAL records are
replicated to *at least* num_sync listed standbys. In this method,
the values of sync_state.pg_stat_replication for the listed standbys
are reported as "quorum". The priority is still assigned to each standby,
but not used in this method.

The existing syntaxes having neither FIRST nor ANY keyword are still
supported. They are the same as new syntax with FIRST keyword, i.e.,
a priorirty-based synchronous replication.

Author: Masahiko Sawada
Reviewed-By: Michael Paquier, Amit Kapila and me
Discussion: <CAD21AoAACi9NeC_ecm+Vahm+MMA6nYh=Kqs3KB3np+MBOS_gZg@mail.gmail.com>

Many thanks to the various individuals who were involved in
discussing and developing this feature.