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pgcentralfoundation/pgrx

A Rust framework for building PostgreSQL extensions, with tooling to set up, run, test and package them across Postgres versions.

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What is it?

pgrx is a framework for writing PostgreSQL extensions in Rust. It maps Rust functions, types and enums to Postgres objects, and generates the SQL schema for them automatically, so an extension can be written entirely in Rust while still exposing functions and custom types to SQL.

The cargo-pgrx subcommand manages the development workflow: it creates new extension projects, downloads and builds Postgres versions, launches an interactive psql session with the extension loaded, runs tests across multiple Postgres versions, and produces installation packages. The project supports Postgres 13 through 18, plus a 19 beta, from a single codebase.

The framework focuses on safety: Rust panics are turned into Postgres errors that abort the transaction rather than the process, and memory management follows Rust's drop semantics. It also provides access to SPI, memory contexts, hooks and the raw pg_sys bindings for lower-level work.

Key features

  • 01Scaffold, run, test and package extensions with the cargo-pgrx command
  • 02Support for Postgres 13 through 18 from one codebase
  • 03Generate SQL schemas automatically from Rust annotations like #[pg_extern]
  • 04Define custom Postgres types and enums with derive macros
  • 05Panics become Postgres errors that abort only the transaction
  • 06Access SPI, memory contexts, hooks and raw pg_sys internals

Use cases

  • Writing a custom Postgres data type or index-related function in Rust
  • Building a PostgreSQL extension that wraps a Rust library for use in SQL queries
  • Testing an extension against several Postgres major versions in CI

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install the cargo-pgrx subcommand

    cargo install --locked cargo-pgrx
  2. 2

    Initialize the PGRX home directory (downloads and compiles supported PostgreSQL versions)

    cargo pgrx init
  3. 3

    Create a new extension project

    cargo pgrx new my_extension
  4. 4

    Run the example extension in psql

    cargo pgrx run

Things to know

  • The license is not clearly specified in the project metadata, so check the repository's license before use.
  • The init step downloads and compiles several PostgreSQL versions, which takes time and disk space.
  • Cross-compiling is only demonstrated under nix and needs manual setup elsewhere.

In collections

Databases & SQL tools

Topics

#postgres#postgresql#rust#database-extension#pg-extension#sql#postgresql-extension#rustlang

FAQ

What is pgrx?
A Rust framework for building PostgreSQL extensions, with tooling to set up, run, test and package them across Postgres versions. pgrx is a framework for writing PostgreSQL extensions in Rust. It maps Rust functions, types and enums to Postgres objects, and generates the SQL schema for them automatically, so an extension can be written entirely in Rust while still exposing functions and custom types to SQL.
Is pgrx free to use? What license does it have?
pgrx is open source under the Other license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is pgrx still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to pgrx was on Oct 30, 2026.
What can I use pgrx for?
Writing a custom Postgres data type or index-related function in Rust Building a PostgreSQL extension that wraps a Rust library for use in SQL queries Testing an extension against several Postgres major versions in CI
How do I install pgrx?
Install the cargo-pgrx subcommand: cargo install --locked cargo-pgrx Initialize the PGRX home directory (downloads and compiles supported PostgreSQL versions): cargo pgrx init Create a new extension project: cargo pgrx new my_extension Run the example extension in psql: cargo pgrx run
Where can I get pgrx?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/pgcentralfoundation/pgrx

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