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psql Cheat Sheet

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Deep psql reference for connection flags, slash commands, formatting, and automation.

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Connecting and Session Variables

Connection parameters, startup flags, and handy variables.

Connect with host port user and database

Connect with explicit connection flags.

↗#
bashANYpsqlconnect
bash
psql -h localhost -p 5432 -U appuser -d appdb

See summary for usage details.

Never prompt for password

Fail instead of prompting for a password.

↗#
bashANYpsqlconnectpassword
bash
psql -w -h localhost -U appuser -d appdb

See summary for usage details.

Force password prompt

Always prompt for the password interactively.

↗#
bashANYpsqlpassword
bash
psql -W -h localhost -U appuser -d appdb

See summary for usage details.

Set psql variable

Create or update a psql variable.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlvariables
sql
\set schema_name public

See summary for usage details.

Use psql variable in SQL

Interpolate a psql variable in a command.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlvariablesautomation
sql
SELECT * FROM :schema_name.users LIMIT 5;

See summary for usage details.

Show current connection

Display current host, port, user, and database connection info.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlconnectioninspect
sql
\conninfo

See summary for usage details.

Use PGPASSFILE

Use a password file for noninteractive authentication.

↗#
bashANYpsqlauthautomation
bash
PGPASSFILE=./.pgpass psql -h localhost -U appuser -d appdb

See summary for usage details.

Run one command and exit

Execute a single SQL command from the shell.

↗#
bashANYpsqlautomation
bash
psql -d appdb -c "SELECT now();"

See summary for usage details.

Meta-commands and Catalog Navigation

Slash commands to inspect the server quickly.

List tables

List tables in visible schemas.

↗#
sqlANYpsqltables
sql
\dt

See summary for usage details.

List views

List views in visible schemas.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlviews
sql
\dv

See summary for usage details.

List functions

List functions in the current database.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlfunctions
sql
\df

See summary for usage details.

List sequences

List sequences.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlsequences
sql
\ds

See summary for usage details.

List access privileges

Show grants and ownership for a relation.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlprivilegesinspect
sql
\z public.users

See summary for usage details.

Describe function

Show function details including source and volatility.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlfunctiondescribe
sql
\df+ public.set_updated_at

See summary for usage details.

List types

List data types defined in the database.

↗#
sqlANYpsqltypes
sql
\dT

See summary for usage details.

List foreign tables

List foreign tables defined via FDWs.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlforeign-data-wrapper
sql
\det

See summary for usage details.

Repeat command with watch

Rerun the current query every 5 seconds.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlwatchmonitoring
sql
\watch 5

See summary for usage details.

Show meta-command help

List all psql slash commands.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlhelp
sql
\?

See summary for usage details.

Formatting and Output Control

Shape result output for terminals, CSV, and scripts.

Unaligned output

Print output without table borders for scripting.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlformatting
sql
\pset format unaligned

See summary for usage details.

CSV output

Render result output as CSV.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlcsvformatting
sql
\pset format csv

See summary for usage details.

Tuples only

Suppress headers and footers.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlformattingscripts
sql
\t on

See summary for usage details.

Set border style

Adjust table border rendering.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlformatting
sql
\pset border 2

See summary for usage details.

Set NULL display

Customize how null values are shown.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlformattingnull
sql
\pset null '[NULL]'

See summary for usage details.

Write query output to file

Send query output to a file until reset.

↗#
sqlANYpsqloutputfile
sql
\o /tmp/query-output.txt

See summary for usage details.

Reset output target

Return output to stdout.

↗#
sqlANYpsqloutput
sql
\o

See summary for usage details.

Export query to CSV

Client-side export of a query result to CSV.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlcopycsv
sql
\copy (SELECT * FROM public.users ORDER BY user_id) TO '/tmp/users.csv' CSV HEADER

See summary for usage details.

Scripting and Automation

Use psql in repeatable scripts and deployment tasks.

Stop on first error

Exit immediately when a script encounters an error.

↗#
bashANYpsqlscriptserror-handling
bash
psql -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 -d appdb -f deploy.sql

See summary for usage details.

Pass variable on command line

Inject psql variables from the shell.

↗#
bashANYpsqlvariablesscripts
bash
psql -v target_schema=public -d appdb -f script.sql

See summary for usage details.

Echo all commands

Print input lines as they are executed.

↗#
bashANYpsqlscriptsdebug
bash
psql -a -d appdb -f script.sql

See summary for usage details.

Echo hidden commands

Show underlying SQL generated by backslash commands.

↗#
bashANYpsqldebugcatalog
bash
psql -E -d appdb

See summary for usage details.

Execute script in one transaction

Wrap the script in a single transaction.

↗#
bashANYpsqlscriptstransaction
bash
psql -1 -d appdb -f migration.sql

See summary for usage details.

Conditional blocks in psql

Use psql conditionals in interactive or scripted sessions.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlconditionalsautomation
sql
\if :{?target_schema}
  \echo 'target schema set'
\else
  \echo 'target schema missing'
\endif

See summary for usage details.

Include another script

Read and execute another SQL file.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlincludescripts
sql
\i ./common.sql

See summary for usage details.

Run shell command from psql

Execute a shell command from inside psql.

↗#
sqlANYpsqlshellutility
sql
\! date

See summary for usage details.

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