Skip to content

pig ext

Search the extension catalog and manage PostgreSQL extension packages with pig ext

The pig ext command searches the extension catalog and manages PostgreSQL extension packages on a host. It can resolve names, inspect package availability, install/remove/update RPM or DEB packages, and handle PostgreSQL kernel packages. Database-local activation and migration are deliberately outside this command group’s scope.

pig ext - Manage PostgreSQL Extensions

  pig repo add -ru             # add all repo and update cache (brute but effective)
  pig ext add pg18             # install optional postgresql 18 package
  pig ext list duck            # search extension in catalog
  pig ext scan -v 18           # scan installed extension for pg 18
  pig ext add pg_duckdb        # install certain postgresql extension

Examples:
  pig ext list    [query]      # list & search extension
  pig ext info    [ext...]     # get information of a specific extension
  pig ext status  [-v]         # show installed extension and pg status
  pig ext add     [ext...]     # install extension for current pg version
  pig ext rm      [ext...]     # remove extension for current pg version
  pig ext update  [ext...]     # update extension to the latest version
  pig ext import  [ext...]     # download extension to local repo
  pig ext link    [ext...]     # link postgres installation to path
  pig ext reload               # reload the latest extension catalog data
Command Description Notes
ext list Search extensions
ext info Show extension details
ext avail Show extension availability matrix
ext status Show host-visible extension files/packages Does not query every database
ext scan Scan installed control/library files Does not query every database
ext add Install extensions Requires sudo or root
ext rm Remove extensions Requires sudo or root
ext update Update extensions Requires sudo or root
ext import Download extensions for offline use Requires sudo or root
ext link Link a PG version into PATH Requires sudo or root
ext reload Refresh extension catalog

Quick Start

Before installing PostgreSQL extensions, add the required repositories with pig repo add:

pig repo add pgdg pigsty -u    # gentle way to add pgdg and pigsty repos
pig repo set                   # brute-force way to remove and add all required repos

Then search and install PostgreSQL extensions:

pig ext install pg_duckdb
pig ext install pg_partman
pig ext install pg_cron
pig ext install pg_repack
pig ext install pg_stat_statements
pig ext install pg_stat_kcache

See the extension list for available extensions and package names.

Notes:

  1. If no PostgreSQL version is specified, pig tries to detect the active PostgreSQL installation from pg_config in PATH.
  2. PostgreSQL can be selected by major version (-v) or by pg_config path (-p).
    • With -v, pig uses the default PGDG kernel package path for that major version.
      • EL distros: /usr/pgsql-$v/bin/pg_config
      • DEB distros: /usr/lib/postgresql/$v/bin/pg_config
    • With -p, pig locates PostgreSQL directly from that path.
  3. The extension manager automatically adapts to the OS package format:
    • RPM packages for RHEL/CentOS/Rocky Linux/AlmaLinux
    • DEB packages for Debian/Ubuntu
  4. Extension dependencies are resolved automatically when possible.
  5. Use -y carefully because it auto-confirms prompts.

Pigsty assumes official PGDG kernel packages are installed. If not, install them with:

pig ext install pg18          # install PostgreSQL 18 kernel packages except devel

Package Layer vs Database Layer

PIG operates primarily at the operating-system package layer. This distinction prevents several common but dangerous assumptions:

Command What it changes What it does not do
ext add Installs selected RPM/DEB packages and their package dependencies Run CREATE EXTENSION, edit PostgreSQL settings, or restart PostgreSQL
ext rm Removes selected RPM/DEB packages Run DROP EXTENSION or check every database that may still depend on their files
ext update Upgrades explicitly named OS packages Run ALTER EXTENSION UPDATE or migrate extension-owned database objects
ext status / ext scan Inspects the selected PostgreSQL installation tree and host-visible files Prove that an extension is created, healthy, or at a particular SQL version in every database
ext reload Downloads a newer catalog to ~/.pig/extension.csv Install or upgrade any package or database extension

After a package transaction, use pig ext info NAME to review preload and DDL hints. Then apply configuration and SQL to each intended database, restart or reload PostgreSQL when the extension requires it, and verify pg_available_extensions / pg_extension plus the extension’s own upgrade documentation. Package removal should be preceded by a database dependency audit; removing shared files while database objects still exist can leave those databases unusable.

ext list

List or search extensions in the extension catalog.

pig ext list                     # list all extensions
pig ext list duck                # search extensions containing "duck"
pig ext list -v 18               # filter by PG version
pig ext ls olap                  # list OLAP category extensions
pig ext ls gis -v 16             # list GIS extensions for PG 16
pig ext ls rag                   # list RAG category extensions

Category filtering is done by passing the category name as the query. Supported categories include: time, gis, rag, fts, olap, feat, lang, type, func, util, admin, stat, sec, fdw, sim, and etl.

Options:

  • -v|--version: filter by PG version
  • --pkg: show package names instead of extension names, listing only leading extensions

Status column:

  • installed: extension is installed
  • available: extension is available but not installed
  • not avail: extension is not available on the current system

The default extension catalog is defined in cli/ext/assets/extension.csv.

Use pig ext reload to refresh to the latest catalog. The downloaded catalog is stored at ~/.pig/extension.csv; the latest online catalog is also published at repo.pigsty.io/ext/data/extension.csv.

ext info

Show detailed information for selected extensions.

pig ext info postgis        # show PostGIS details
pig ext info timescaledb    # show TimescaleDB details
pig ext info vector postgis # show multiple extensions

ext avail

Show the extension availability matrix across operating systems, architectures, and PostgreSQL versions.

pig ext avail                     # show package availability on current system
pig ext avail timescaledb         # show timescaledb availability matrix
pig ext avail postgis pg_duckdb   # show multiple extensions
pig ext av pgvector               # show pgvector availability
pig ext matrix citus              # alias for avail

The matrix shows availability across operating systems (EL8/9/10, Debian 12/13, Ubuntu 22/24/26), architectures (x86_64/aarch64), and PostgreSQL versions (14-18).

ext status

Show extension files/packages visible to the selected PostgreSQL installation on this host.

pig ext status              # show installed extensions
pig ext status -c           # include contrib extensions
pig ext status -v 16        # show installed extensions for PG 16

Options:

  • -c|--contrib: include contrib extensions in the result

ext scan

Scan the selected PostgreSQL installation’s extension directories.

pig ext scan [-v version]

This command scans PostgreSQL control files and related installation paths. It reports host-level availability; it does not connect to every database or inspect each database’s pg_extension catalog.

ext add

Install one or more PostgreSQL extensions. Same-level aliases for pig ext add include pig ext install, pig ext ins, and pig ext a. The top-level pig install command is a separate native package-manager wrapper that also supports PostgreSQL and extension alias translation.

pig ext add pg_duckdb            # install pg_duckdb
pig ext add pg_duckdb -v 18      # install for PG 18
pig ext add pg_duckdb -y         # auto-confirm installation
pig ext add vector postgis       # install multiple extensions
pig ext add postgis --plan       # preview install plan without executing

# Using alias
pig install pg_duckdb
pig install pg_duckdb -v 18 -y

# Install PostgreSQL kernel packages
pig ext install pgsql            # install latest PostgreSQL kernel
pig ext a pg18                   # install PostgreSQL 18 kernel packages
pig ext ins pg16                 # install PostgreSQL 16 kernel packages
pig ext install pg15-core        # install PostgreSQL 15 core packages
pig ext install pg14-main -y     # install PG 14 + common extensions (vector, repack, wal2json)

Options:

  • -v|--version: specify PG major version
  • -y|--yes: auto-confirm installation
  • --plan: preview the install plan without running package-manager commands

Successful installation only makes the extension files available on the host. Follow the extension’s ext info hints for preload, restart, and CREATE EXTENSION steps.

ext rm

Remove one or more PostgreSQL extensions.

pig ext rm pg_duckdb             # remove pg_duckdb
pig ext rm pg_duckdb -v 18       # remove PG 18 package
pig ext rm pgvector -y           # auto-confirm removal
pig ext rm pgvector --plan       # preview remove plan without executing

Options:

  • -v|--version: specify PG major version
  • -y|--yes: auto-confirm removal
  • --plan: preview the remove plan without running package-manager commands

This removes an OS package, not database objects. Drop or migrate dependent extensions in every affected database before removing the shared files.

ext update

Update explicitly selected installed extensions to the latest version. For safety, pig ext update with no arguments is a no-op; you must name the targets explicitly.

pig ext update                   # no-op: explicit targets are required
pig ext update pg_duckdb         # update one extension
pig ext update postgis timescaledb  # update multiple extensions
pig ext update pg_duckdb -y      # auto-confirm update
pig ext update pg_duckdb -m      # select the built-in China-region sources

Options:

  • -v|--version: specify PG major version
  • -y|--yes: auto-confirm update
  • -m|--mirror: prefer the pigsty.cc mirror as the update source

The command does not run SQL migrations. After the package upgrade, follow the extension’s release notes and run ALTER EXTENSION ... UPDATE in each database where appropriate.

ext import

Download extension packages into a local repository for offline installation.

pig ext import postgis                # import PostGIS packages
pig ext import timescaledb pg_cron    # import multiple extension packages
pig ext import pg16                   # import PostgreSQL 16 packages
pig ext import pgsql-common           # import common utility packages
pig ext import -d /www/pigsty postgis # import to a selected path

Options:

  • -d|--repo: local repository directory (default: /www/pigsty)

Link a selected PG version into the system PATH.

pig ext link 18                  # link PG 18 to PATH
pig ext link pg17                # strip the pg prefix and link PG 17
pig ext link 16                  # link PG 16 to /usr/pgsql
pig ext link /usr/pgsql-16       # link from a selected path to /usr/pgsql
pig ext link polar               # link PolarDB / PolarPG installation
pig ext link /usr/polar-17       # link from a selected PolarDB path
pig ext link null                # remove current PostgreSQL link
pig ext link none                # null / none / nil / nop / no all remove the link

This command creates the /usr/pgsql symlink and writes /etc/profile.d/pgsql.sh.

ext reload

Refresh extension metadata.

pig ext reload                   # refresh extension catalog

The updated catalog is stored at ~/.pig/extension.csv.

Last modified 2026-08-21 · refactor(hero): Postgres Install Guide on one line, drop the host band (33e0be7)