PostgreSQL psql CLI

PostgreSQL psql CLI

Command-line interface for PostgreSQL: connection, meta-commands, scripting, and interactive usage.

Connection

Basic Connection

# Connect to database
psql -U username -d database -h hostname -p 5432

# Connect using URI
psql postgresql://username:password@hostname:5432/database

# Environment variables
export PGUSER=postgres
export PGPASSWORD=mypassword
export PGHOST=localhost
export PGPORT=5432
export PGDATABASE=mydb
psql

Password File (~/.pgpass)

# Format: hostname:port:database:username:password
# chmod 600 ~/.pgpass
localhost:5432:mydb:postgres:mypassword
*.example.com:5432:*:appuser:apppass

SSL Connection

# Require SSL
psql "host=hostname sslmode=require user=username dbname=database"

# Verify certificate
psql "host=hostname sslmode=verify-full \
  sslcert=/path/to/client.crt \
  sslkey=/path/to/client.key \
  sslrootcert=/path/to/ca.crt"

Essential Meta-Commands

Database Navigation

\l or \list                    # List databases
\l+                            # List with sizes
\c database                    # Connect to database
\c database username           # Connect as user
\conninfo                      # Connection info

Schema Inspection

\dn                            # List schemas
\dt                            # List tables
\dt+                           # Tables with sizes
\dt *.*                        # All tables, all schemas
\di                            # List indexes
\dv                            # List views
\dm                            # List materialized views
\ds                            # List sequences
\df                            # List functions

Object Description

\d tablename                   # Describe table
\d+ tablename                  # Detailed description
\d indexname                   # Describe index
\df functionname               # Describe function
\du                            # List users/roles
\dp tablename                  # Show permissions

Output Formatting

\x                             # Toggle expanded output
\x on                          # Enable expanded
\x off                         # Disable expanded
\a                             # Toggle aligned output
\t                             # Toggle tuples only
\H                             # HTML output
\pset format csv               # CSV format
\pset null '[NULL]'            # Show NULL values

Execution Commands

\i filename.sql                # Execute SQL file
\o output.txt                  # Redirect output to file
\o                             # Stop redirecting
\! command                     # Execute shell command
\timing                        # Toggle timing
\q                             # Quit

psql Command-Line Options

# Connection
-h hostname                    # Host
-p port                        # Port (default 5432)
-U username                    # Username
-d database                    # Database
-W                             # Prompt for password

# Execution
-c "SQL"                       # Execute command and exit
-f file.sql                    # Execute file
--command="SQL"                # Execute command

# Output
-t                             # Tuples only (no headers)
-A                             # Unaligned output
-F ","                         # Field separator
-o output.txt                  # Output to file
-q                             # Quiet mode
-x                             # Expanded output

# Script options
-1                             # Execute as transaction
--on-error-stop                # Stop on error
-v variable=value              # Set variable
-L logfile.log                 # Log session

Running SQL

Interactive Queries

-- Simple query
SELECT * FROM users;

-- Multi-line (ends with semicolon)
SELECT id, name, email
FROM users
WHERE active = true;

-- Edit in editor
\e

-- Repeat last query
\g

-- Send to file
\g output.txt

Variables

# Set variable
\set myvar 'value'
\set limit 10

# Use variable
SELECT * FROM users LIMIT :limit;

# String variable (quoted)
\set username 'alice'
SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = :'username';

# Show all variables
\set

# Unset variable
\unset myvar

Scripts

-- script.sql
\set ON_ERROR_STOP on

BEGIN;

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users (
  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
  name TEXT NOT NULL,
  email TEXT UNIQUE
);

INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES
  ('Alice', 'alice@example.com'),
  ('Bob', 'bob@example.com');

COMMIT;

\echo 'Script completed!'

# Execute script
psql -d mydb -f script.sql

# With error stopping
psql -d mydb -f script.sql --on-error-stop

# In single transaction
psql -d mydb -1 -f script.sql

Data Import/Export

COPY (Server-side)

-- Export to CSV
COPY users TO '/tmp/users.csv' WITH (FORMAT CSV, HEADER);

-- Import from CSV
COPY users FROM '/tmp/users.csv' WITH (FORMAT CSV, HEADER);

-- Query to file
COPY (SELECT * FROM users WHERE active = true)
TO '/tmp/active_users.csv' WITH (FORMAT CSV, HEADER);

\copy (Client-side)

# Export (from psql)
\copy users TO 'users.csv' WITH (FORMAT CSV, HEADER)

# Export query results
\copy (SELECT * FROM users WHERE active = true) TO 'active.csv' CSV HEADER

# Import
\copy users FROM 'users.csv' WITH (FORMAT CSV, HEADER)

# To stdout
\copy users TO STDOUT CSV HEADER > users.csv

pg_dump / pg_restore

# Dump database
pg_dump mydb > mydb.sql
pg_dump -d mydb -Fc > mydb.dump  # Custom format

# Dump specific table
pg_dump -t users mydb > users.sql

# Schema only
pg_dump -s mydb > schema.sql

# Data only
pg_dump -a mydb > data.sql

# Restore
psql mydb < mydb.sql
pg_restore -d mydb mydb.dump

Configuration

~/.psqlrc

# Auto-loaded on psql startup
\set QUIET ON

-- Prompt customization
\set PROMPT1 '%n@%m:%>/%/%R%# '

-- Output settings
\pset null '[NULL]'
\pset border 2
\pset linestyle unicode
\pset expanded auto

-- Timing
\timing ON

-- Pager
\pset pager always

-- History
\set HISTSIZE 10000

-- Custom shortcuts
\set active_users 'SELECT * FROM users WHERE status = ''active'';'
\set dbsize 'SELECT pg_size_pretty(pg_database_size(current_database()));'

\set QUIET OFF

Useful Aliases

# Add to ~/.psqlrc
\set locks 'SELECT pid, usename, pg_blocking_pids(pid) as blocked_by, query FROM pg_stat_activity WHERE cardinality(pg_blocking_pids(pid)) > 0;'

\set activity 'SELECT pid, usename, state, query FROM pg_stat_activity WHERE state != ''idle'';'

\set table_sizes 'SELECT schemaname, tablename, pg_size_pretty(pg_total_relation_size(schemaname||''.''||tablename)) FROM pg_tables ORDER BY pg_total_relation_size(schemaname||''.''||tablename) DESC;'

\set index_usage 'SELECT schemaname, tablename, indexname, idx_scan FROM pg_stat_user_indexes ORDER BY idx_scan;'

# Usage: :locks, :activity, :table_sizes

Transactions

-- Begin transaction
BEGIN;

-- Or
START TRANSACTION;

-- Savepoint
SAVEPOINT sp1;

-- Rollback to savepoint
ROLLBACK TO sp1;

-- Commit
COMMIT;

-- Rollback
ROLLBACK;

Performance Analysis

EXPLAIN

-- Show query plan
EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = 1;

-- With execution
EXPLAIN ANALYZE SELECT * FROM users WHERE age > 18;

-- Verbose
EXPLAIN (ANALYZE, BUFFERS, VERBOSE)
SELECT * FROM users WHERE active = true;

Current Activity

-- Active queries
SELECT pid, usename, state, query
FROM pg_stat_activity;

-- Long-running queries
SELECT pid, now() - query_start AS duration, query
FROM pg_stat_activity
WHERE state != 'idle'
ORDER BY duration DESC;

-- Blocking queries
SELECT blocked.pid, blocking.pid AS blocking_pid,
       blocked.query AS blocked_query,
       blocking.query AS blocking_query
FROM pg_stat_activity blocked
JOIN pg_stat_activity blocking
  ON blocking.pid = ANY(pg_blocking_pids(blocked.pid));

Statistics

-- Database size
SELECT pg_size_pretty(pg_database_size(current_database()));

-- Table sizes
SELECT schemaname, tablename,
  pg_size_pretty(pg_total_relation_size(schemaname||'.'||tablename)) AS size
FROM pg_tables
ORDER BY pg_total_relation_size(schemaname||'.'||tablename) DESC;

-- Index usage
SELECT schemaname, tablename, indexname, idx_scan
FROM pg_stat_user_indexes
ORDER BY idx_scan;

User Management

-- Create user
CREATE USER appuser WITH PASSWORD 'secure_password';

-- Create superuser
CREATE USER admin WITH PASSWORD 'password' SUPERUSER;

-- Alter user
ALTER USER appuser WITH PASSWORD 'new_password';

-- Grant permissions
GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE mydb TO appuser;
GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA public TO appuser;
GRANT SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE ON users TO appuser;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA public TO appuser;

-- Default privileges
ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES IN SCHEMA public
GRANT SELECT ON TABLES TO appuser;

-- View permissions
\dp users

-- Drop user
DROP USER appuser;

Backup Patterns

# Daily backup script
#!/bin/bash
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d)
pg_dump -Fc mydb > /backups/mydb_$DATE.dump

# Restore latest
pg_restore -d mydb /backups/mydb_latest.dump

# Backup all databases
pg_dumpall > /backups/all_databases.sql

# Backup specific schema
pg_dump -n public mydb > public_schema.sql

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

# Test connection
psql -h hostname -U username -d postgres -c "SELECT 1;"

# Check pg_hba.conf
# /var/lib/postgresql/data/pg_hba.conf

# Verbose connection
psql -h hostname -d mydb --echo-all

Performance Issues

-- Enable slow query logging
ALTER DATABASE mydb SET log_min_duration_statement = 100;

-- Check cache hit ratio
SELECT
  sum(heap_blks_read) as heap_read,
  sum(heap_blks_hit) as heap_hit,
  sum(heap_blks_hit) / (sum(heap_blks_hit) + sum(heap_blks_read)) AS ratio
FROM pg_statio_user_tables;

-- Find slow queries
SELECT query, mean_exec_time, calls
FROM pg_stat_statements
ORDER BY mean_exec_time DESC
LIMIT 10;

Best Practices

1. Use .pgpass for credential management
2. Set ON_ERROR_STOP in scripts
3. Use transactions for multi-statement changes
4. Test with EXPLAIN before running expensive queries
5. Use \timing to measure query performance
6. Configure ~/.psqlrc for productivity
7. Use variables for dynamic queries
8. Log sessions with -L for auditing
9. Use \copy instead of COPY for client operations
10. Regular backups with pg_dump