Guides - PostgreSQL Extensions

The functionality of PostgreSQL can be enhanced through the use of extensions. Linode’s PostgreSQL Managed Database service supports many of these extensions.

Many extensions can be viewed, installed, and removed directly from the PostgreSQL command-line prompt. To access this prompt, connect to your database using the psql tool. See Connect to a PostgreSQL Database > psql.

To view the extensions that are currently installed on your PostgreSQL Managed Database, run the \dx command at the prompt. The output should be similar to the following, displaying each extension along with its version number, schema, and a short description.

     Name      | Version |   Schema   |          Description
---------------+---------+------------+--------------------------------
 plpgsql       | 1.0     | pg_catalog | PL/pgSQL procedural language

To see a full list of all the extensions available for your version of PostgreSQL, run the following query. You can also review the List of Available Extensions below.

SELECT * FROM pg_available_extensions;

Caution

Linode does not provide superuser access to PostgreSQL Managed Databases. As such, some extensions may not function properly or may otherwise encounter permissions issues.

To install one of the available extensions on your database, use the CREATE EXTENSION command, replacing [extension_name] with the name of the extension you wish to install.

CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS [extension_name];

If this command does not work, the extension may either not be compatible or it may need to be manually enabled on your Managed Database by our team. Review the extensions list below.

To remove an extension, use the DROP EXTENSION command, replacing [extension_name] with the name of the extension you wish to install.

DROP EXTENSION [extension_name];

The table below lists all of the PostgreSQL extensions that may be supported by our Managed Database service, along with the compatible PostgreSQL versions.

Caution

Linode does not provide superuser access to PostgreSQL Managed Databases. As such, some extensions may not function properly or may otherwise encounter permissions issues. Extensions that are known not to work, such as adminpack, have been marked as incompatible in the list below. If you encounter an extension that isn’t working as expected due to permissions issues, our team can review the extension. Reach out to Support with the extension name, the name of the database for which you wish to use the extension, and your use case.

* This extension may need to be manually enabled by our team. Contact Support with the name of the extension and the name of the Managed Database you wish to enable it on.

If you would like to use an extension that’s not currently listed here, contact our Support team and they’ll be able to send your feedback to our developers.