PostgreSQL 正體中文使用手冊
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  • 簡介
  • 前言
    • 1. 什麼是PostgreSQL?
    • 2. PostgreSQL沿革
    • 3. 慣例
    • 4. 其他參考資訊
    • 5. 問題回報指南
  • I. 新手教學
    • 1. 入門指南
      • 1.1. 安裝
      • 1.2. 基礎架構
      • 1.3. 建立一個資料庫
      • 1.4. 存取一個資料庫
    • 2. SQL查詢語言
      • 2.1. 簡介
      • 2.2. 概念
      • 2.3. 創建一個新的資料表
      • 2.4. 資料列是資料表的組成單位
      • 2.5. 資料表的查詢
      • 2.6. 交叉查詢
      • 2.7. 彙總查詢
      • 2.8. 更新資料
      • 2.9. 刪除資料
    • 3. 先進功能
      • 3.1. 簡介
      • 3.2. 檢視表(View)
      • 3.3. 外部索引鍵
      • 3.4. 交易安全
      • 3.5. 窗函數
      • 3.6. 繼承
      • 3.7. 結論
  • II. SQL查詢語言
    • 4. SQL語法
      • 4.1. 語法結構
      • 4.2. 參數表示式
      • 4.3. 函數呼叫
    • 5. 定義資料結構
      • 5.1. 認識資料表
      • 5.2. 預設值
      • 5.3. 限制條件
      • 5.4. 系統欄位
      • 5.5. 表格變更
      • 5.6. 權限
      • 5.7. 資料列安全原則
      • 5.8. Schemas
      • 5.9. 繼承
      • 5.10. 分割資料表
      • 5.11. 外部資料
      • 5.12. 其他資料庫物件
      • 5.13. 相依性追蹤
    • 6. 資料處理
      • 6.1. 新增資料
      • 6.2. 更新資料
      • 6.3. 刪除資料
      • 6.4. 修改並回傳資料
    • 7. 資料查詢
      • 7.1. 概觀
      • 7.2. 資料表表示式
      • 7.3. 取得資料列表
      • 7.4. 合併查詢結果
      • 7.5. 資料排序
      • 7.6. 指定資料範圍
      • 7.7. 列舉資料
      • 7.8. 遞迴查詢(Common Table Expressions)
    • 8. 資料型別
      • 8.1. 數字型別
      • 8.2. 貨幣型別
      • 8.3. 字串型別
      • 8.4. 位元組型別(bytea)
      • 8.5. 日期時間型別
      • 8.6. 布林型別
      • 8.7. 列舉型別
      • 8.8. 地理資訊型別
      • 8.9. 網路資訊型別
      • 8.10. 位元字串型別
      • 8.11. 全文檢索型別
      • 8.12. UUID型別
      • 8.13. XML型別
      • 8.14. JSON型別
      • 8.15. 陣列
      • 8.16. 複合型別
      • 8.17. 範圍型別
      • 8.18. 指標型別
      • 8.19. pg_lsn型別
      • 8.20. 概念型別
    • 9. 函式及運算子
      • 9.1. 邏輯運算子
      • 9.2. 比較函式及運算子
      • 9.3. 數學函式及運算子
      • 9.4. 字串函式及運算子
      • 9.5. 位元字串函式及運算子
      • 9.6. 二元字串函式及運算子
      • 9.7. 特徵比對
      • 9.8. 型別轉換函式
      • 9.9 日期時間函式及運算子
      • 9.10. 列舉型別函式
      • 9.11. 地理資訊函式及運算子
      • 9.12. 網路位址函式及運算子
      • 9.13. 文字檢索函式及運算子
      • 9.14. XML函式
      • 9.15. JSON函式及運算子
      • 9.16. 序列函式
      • 9.17. 條件表示式
      • 9.18. 陣列函式及運算子
      • 9.19. 範圍函式及運算子
      • 9.20. 彙總函數
      • 9.21. Window函式
      • 9.22. 子查詢
      • 9.23. 資料列與陣列的比較運算
      • 9.24. 集合回傳函式
      • 9.25. 系統資訊函數
      • 9.26. 系統管理函式
      • 9.27. 觸發函式
      • 9.28. 事件觸發函式
    • 10. 型別轉換
      • 10.1. 概觀
      • 10.2. 運算子
      • 10.3. 函式
      • 10.4. 資料儲存轉換規則
      • 10.5. UNION、CASE 等相關結構
      • 10.6. SELECT輸出規則
    • 11. 索引(Index)
      • 11.1. 簡介
      • 11.2. 索引型別
      • 11.3. 多欄位索引
      • 11.4. 索引與ORDER BY
      • 11.5. 善用多個索引
      • 11.6. 唯一值索引
      • 11.7. 表示式索引
      • 11.8. 部份索引(partial index)
      • 11.9. 運算子物件及家族
      • 11.10. 索引與排序規則
      • 11.11. 索引限定查詢(Index-only scan)
      • 11.12. 檢查索引運用
    • 12. 全文檢索
      • 12.1. 簡介
      • 12.2. 查詢與索引
      • 12.3. 細部控制
      • 12.4. 延伸功能
      • 12.5. 斷詞
      • 12.6. 字典
      • 12.7. 組態範例
      • 12.8. 測試與除錯
      • 12.9. GIN及GiST索引型別
      • 12.10. psql支援
      • 12.11. 功能限制
    • 13. 一致性管理(MVCC)
      • 13.1. 簡介
      • 13.2. 交易隔離
      • 13.3. 鎖定模式
      • 13.4. 在應用端檢視資料一致性
      • 13.5. 特別注意
      • 13.6. 鎖定與索引
    • 14. 效能技巧
      • 14.1. 善用EXPLAIN
      • 14.2. 統計資訊
      • 14.3. 使用確切的JOIN方式
      • 14.4. 快速建立資料庫內容
      • 14.5. 彈性設定
    • 15. 平行查詢
      • 15.1. 如何運作?
      • 15.2. 啓用時機?
      • 15.3. 平行查詢計畫
      • 15.4. 平行查詢的安全性
  • III. 系統管理
    • 16. 用原始碼安裝
      • 16.1. Short Version
      • 16.2. Requirements
      • 16.3. Getting The Source
      • 16.4. 安裝流程
      • 16.5. Post-Installation Setup
      • 16.6. Supported Platforms
      • 16.7. 平台相關的注意事項
    • 17. 用原始碼在 Windows 上安裝
      • 17.1. Building with Visual C++ or the Microsoft Windows SDK
    • 18. 服務配置與維運
      • 18.1. PostgreSQL 使用者帳號
      • 18.2. Creating a Database Cluster
      • 18.3. Starting the Database Server
      • 18.4. 核心資源管理
      • 18.5. Shutting Down the Server
      • 18.6. Upgrading a PostgreSQL Cluster
      • 18.7. Preventing Server Spoofing
      • 18.8. Encryption Options
      • 18.9. Secure TCP/IP Connections with SSL
      • 18.10. Secure TCP/IP Connections with SSH Tunnels
      • 18.11. 在 Windows 註冊事件日誌
    • 19. 服務組態設定
      • 19.1. Setting Parameters
      • 19.2. File Locations
      • 19.3. 連線與認證
      • 19.4. 資源配置
      • 19.5. Write Ahead Log
      • 19.6. 複寫(Replication)
      • 19.7. 查詢規畫
      • 19.8. 錯誤回報與日誌記錄
      • 19.9. Run-time Statistics
      • 19.10. 自動資料庫清理
      • 19.11. 用戶端連線預設參數
      • 19.12. 交易鎖定管理
      • 19.13. 版本與平台的相容性
      • 19.14. Error Handling
      • 19.15. 預先配置的參數
      • 19.16. Customized Options
      • 19.17. Developer Options
      • 19.18. Short Options
    • 20. 使用者認證
      • 20.1. 設定檔:pg_hba.conf
      • 20.2. User Name Maps
      • 20.3. Authentication Methods
      • 20.4. Authentication Problems
    • 21. 資料庫角色
      • 21.1. Database Roles
      • 21.2. Role Attributes
      • 21.3. Role Membership
      • 21.4. 移除角色
      • 21.5. Default Roles
      • 21.6. Function Security
    • 22. Managing Databases
      • 22.1. Overview
      • 22.2. Creating a Database
      • 22.3. 樣版資料庫
      • 22.4. Database Configuration
      • 22.5. Destroying a Database
      • 22.6. Tablespaces
    • 23. 語系
      • 23.1. 語系支援
      • 23.2. Collation Support
      • 23.3. 字元集支援
    • 24. 例行性資料庫維護工作
      • 24.1. 例行性資料清理
      • 24.2. 定期重建索引
      • 24.3. Log File Maintenance
    • 25. 備份及還原
      • 25.1. SQL Dump
      • 25.2. File System Level Backup
      • 25.3. Continuous Archiving and Point-in-Time Recovery (PITR)
    • 26. High Availability, Load Balancing, and Replication
      • 26.1. Comparison of Different Solutions
      • 26.2. 日誌轉送備用伺服器 Log-Shipping Standby Servers
      • 26.3. Failover
      • 26.4. Alternative Method for Log Shipping
      • 26.5. Hot Standby
    • 27. Recovery Configuration
      • 27.1. Archive Recovery Settings
      • 27.2. Recovery Target Settings
      • 27.3. Standby Server Settings
    • 28. 監控資料庫活動
      • 28.1. Standard Unix Tools
      • 28.2. 統計資訊收集器
      • 28.3. Viewing Locks
      • 28.4. Progress Reporting
      • 28.5. Dynamic Tracing
    • 29. Monitoring Disk Usage
      • 29.1. Determining Disk Usage
      • 29.2. Disk Full Failure
    • 30. 高可靠度及預寫日誌
      • 30.1. Reliability
      • 30.2. Write-Ahead Logging (WAL)
      • 30.3. Asynchronous Commit
      • 30.4. WAL Configuration
      • 30.5. WAL Internals
    • 31. 邏輯複寫(Logical Replication)
      • 31.1. 發佈(Publication)
      • 31.2. 訂閱(Subscription)
      • 31.3. 衝突處理
      • 31.4. 限制
      • 31.5. 架構
      • 31.6. 監控
      • 31.7. 安全性
      • 31.8. 系統設定
      • 31.9. 快速設定
    • 32. Just-in-Time Compilation (JIT)
      • 32.1. What is JIT compilation?
      • 32.2. When to JIT?
      • 32.3. Configuration
      • 32.4. Extensibility
    • 33. 迴歸測試
      • 33.1. Running the Tests
      • 33.2. Test Evaluation
      • 33.3. Variant Comparison Files
      • 33.4. TAP Tests
      • 33.5. Test Coverage Examination
  • IV. 用戶端介面
    • 34. libpq - C Library
      • 34.1. 資料庫連線控制函數
      • 34.2. 連線狀態函數
      • 34.3. Command Execution Functions
      • 34.4. Asynchronous Command Processing
      • 34.5. Retrieving Query Results Row-By-Row
      • 34.6. Canceling Queries in Progress
      • 34.7. The Fast-Path Interface
      • 34.8. Asynchronous Notification
      • 34.9. Functions Associated with the COPY Command
      • 34.10. Control Functions
      • 34.11. Miscellaneous Functions
      • 34.12. Notice Processing
      • 34.13. Event System
      • 34.14. 環境變數
      • 34.15. 密碼檔
      • 34.16. The Connection Service File
      • 34.17. LDAP Lookup of Connection Parameters
      • 34.18. SSL Support
      • 34.19. Behavior in Threaded Programs
      • 34.20. Building libpq Programs
      • 34.21. Example Programs
    • 35. Large Objects
      • 35.1. Introduction
      • 35.2. Implementation Features
      • 35.3. Client Interfaces
      • 35.4. Server-side Functions
      • 35.5. Example Program
    • 36. ECPG - Embedded SQL in C
      • 36.1. The Concept
      • 36.2. Managing Database Connections
      • 36.3. Running SQL Commands
      • 36.4. Using Host Variables
      • 36.5. Dynamic SQL
      • 36.6. pgtypes Library
      • 36.7. Using Descriptor Areas
      • 36.8. Error Handling
      • 36.9. Preprocessor Directives
      • 36.10. Processing Embedded SQL Programs
      • 36.11. Library Functions
      • 36.12. Large Objects
      • 36.13. C++ Applications
      • 36.14. Embedded SQL Commands
      • 36.15. Informix Compatibility Mode
      • 36.16. Internals
    • 37. The Information Schema
      • 37.1. The Schema
      • 37.2. Data Types
      • 37.3. information_schema_catalog_name
      • 37.4. administrable_role_authorizations
      • 37.5. applicable_roles
      • 37.6. attributes
      • 37.7. character_sets
      • 37.8. check_constraint_routine_usage
      • 37.9. check_constraints
      • 37.10. collations
      • 37.11. collation_character_set_applicability
      • 37.12. column_domain_usage
      • 37.13. column_options
      • 37.14. column_privileges
      • 37.15. column_udt_usage
      • 37.16. columns
      • 37.17. constraint_column_usage
      • 37.18. constraint_table_usage
      • 37.19. data_type_privileges
      • 37.20. domain_constraints
      • 37.21. domain_udt_usage
      • 37.22. domains
      • 37.23. element_types
      • 37.24. enabled_roles
      • 37.25. foreign_data_wrapper_options
      • 37.26. foreign_data_wrappers
      • 37.27. foreign_server_options
      • 37.28. foreign_servers
      • 37.29. foreign_table_options
      • 37.30. foreign_tables
      • 37.31. key_column_usage
      • 37.32. parameters
      • 37.33. referential_constraints
      • 37.34. role_column_grants
      • 37.35. role_routine_grants
      • 37.36. role_table_grants
      • 37.37. role_udt_grants
      • 37.38. role_usage_grants
      • 37.39. routine_privileges
      • 37.40. routines
      • 37.41. schemata
      • 37.42. sequences
      • 37.43. sql_features
      • 37.44. sql_implementation_info
      • 37.45. sql_languages
      • 37.46. sql_packages
      • 37.47. sql_parts
      • 37.48. sql_sizing
      • 37.49. sql_sizing_profiles
      • 37.50. table_constraints
      • 37.51. table_privileges
      • 37.52. tables
      • 37.53. transforms
      • 37.54. triggered_update_columns
      • 37.55. triggers
      • 37.56. udt_privileges
      • 37.57. usage_privileges
      • 37.58. user_defined_types
      • 37.59. user_mapping_options
      • 37.60. user_mappings
      • 37.61. view_column_usage
      • 37.62. view_routine_usage
      • 37.63. view_table_usage
      • 37.64. views
  • V. 資料庫程式設計
    • 38. SQL 延伸功能
      • 38.1. How Extensibility Works
      • 38.2. The PostgreSQL Type System
      • 38.3. 使用者自訂函數
      • 38.4. User-defined Procedures
      • 38.5. Query Language (SQL) Functions
      • 38.6. Function Overloading
      • 38.7. 函數易變性類別
      • 38.8. Procedural Language Functions
      • 38.9. Internal Functions
      • 38.10. C-Language Functions
      • 38.11. User-defined Aggregates
      • 38.12. User-defined Types
      • 38.13. User-defined Operators
      • 38.14. Operator Optimization Information
      • 38.15. Interfacing Extensions To Indexes
      • 38.16. Packaging Related Objects into an Extension
      • 38.17. Extension Building Infrastructure
    • 39. Triggers
    • 40. Event Triggers
    • 41. 規則系統
      • 41.1. The Query Tree
      • 41.2. Views and the Rule System
      • 41.3. Materialized Views
      • 41.4. Rules on INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE
      • 41.5. 規則及權限
      • 41.6. Rules and Command Status
      • 41.7. Rules Versus Triggers
    • 42. Procedural Languages(程序語言)
      • 42.1. Installing Procedural Languages
    • 43. PL/pgSQL - SQL Procedural Language
      • 43.5. 基本語法
    • 44. PL/Tcl - Tcl Procedural Language
    • 45. PL/Perl - Perl Procedural Language
    • 46. PL/Python - Python Procedural Language
    • 47. Server Programming Interface
    • 48. Background Worker Processes
    • 49. Logical Decoding
    • 50. Replication Progress Tracking
  • VI. 參考資訊
    • I. SQL 指令
      • ALTER DATABASE
      • ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES
      • ALTER EXTENSION
      • ALTER FUNCTION
      • ALTER INDEX
      • ALTER LANGUAGE
      • ALTER MATERIALIZED VIEW
      • ALTER POLICY
      • ALTER PUBLICATION
      • ALTER ROLE
      • ALTER RULE
      • ALTER SCHEMA
      • ALTER SEQUENCE
      • ALTER STATISTICS
      • ALTER SUBSCRIPTION
      • ALTER TABLE
      • ALTER TABLESPACE
      • ALTER TRIGGER
      • ALTER TYPE
      • ALTER VIEW
      • ANALYZE
      • CLUSTER
      • COMMENT
      • COPY
      • CREATE CAST
      • CREATE DATABASE
      • CREATE EXTENSION
      • CREATE FOREIGN TABLE
      • CREATE FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER
      • CREATE FUNCTION
      • CREATE INDEX
      • CREATE LANGUAGE
      • CREATE MATERIALIZED VIEW
      • CREATE DOMAIN
      • CREATE POLICY
      • CREATE PROCEDURE
      • CREATE PUBLICATION
      • CREATE ROLE
      • CREATE RULE
      • CREATE SCHEMA
      • CREATE SEQUENCE
      • CREATE SERVER
      • CREATE STATISTICS
      • CREATE SUBSCRIPTION
      • CREATE TABLE
      • CREATE TABLE AS
      • CREATE TABLESPACE
      • CREATE TRANSFORM
      • CREATE TRIGGER
      • CREATE TYPE
      • CREATE USER
      • CREATE USER MAPPING
      • CREATE VIEW
      • DELETE
      • DO
      • DROP DATABASE
      • DROP EXTENSION
      • DROP FUNCTION
      • DROP INDEX
      • DROP LANGUAGE
      • DROP MATERIALIZED VIEW
      • DROP OWNED
      • DROP POLICY
      • DROP ROLE
      • DROP RULE
      • DROP SCHEMA
      • DROP SEQUENCE
      • DROP STATISTICS
      • DROP SUBSCRIPTION
      • DROP TABLE
      • DROP TABLESPACE
      • DROP TRANSFORM
      • DROP TRIGGER
      • DROP TYPE
      • DROP USER
      • DROP VIEW
      • EXECUTE
      • EXPLAIN
      • GRANT
      • IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA
      • INSERT
      • LISTEN
      • LOAD
      • NOTIFY
      • PREPARE TRANSACTION
      • REASSIGN OWNED
      • REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW
      • REINDEX
      • RESET
      • REVOKE
      • SELECT
      • SELECT INTO
      • SET
      • SET CONSTRAINTS
      • SET ROLE
      • SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION
      • SET TRANSACTION
      • SHOW
      • TRUNCATE
      • UNLISTEN
      • UPDATE
      • VACUUM
      • VALUES
    • II. PostgreSQL 用戶端工具
      • createdb
      • createuser
      • dropdb
      • dropuser
      • pgbench
      • pg_dump
      • psql
      • vacuumdb
    • III. PostgreSQL 伺服器應用程式
      • pg_test_timing
      • postgres
  • VII. 資料庫進階
    • 52. 系統目錄
      • 52.3. pg_am
      • 52.7. pg_attribute
      • 52.8. pg_authid
      • 52.9. pg_auth_members
      • 52.11 pg_class
      • 52.12. pg_collation
      • 52.13. pg_constraint
      • 52.15 pg_database
      • 52.26 pg_index
      • 52.29. pg_language
      • 52.32. pg_namespace
      • 52.33. pg_opclass
      • 52.38. pg_policy
      • 52.39. pg_proc
      • 52.44. pg_rewrite
      • 52.50. pg_statistic
      • 52.51. pg_statistic_ext
      • 52.54. pg_tablespace
      • 52.56. pg_trigger
      • 52.62. pg_type
      • 52.79. pg_replication_origin_status
      • 52.81 pg_roles
      • 52.85. pg_settings
      • 52.87. pg_stats
    • 53. Frontend/Backend Protocol
      • 53.1. Overview
      • 53.2. Message Flow
      • 53.3. SASL Authentication
      • 53.4. Streaming Replication Protocol
      • 53.5. Logical Streaming Replication Protocol
      • 53.6. Message Data Types
      • 53.7. Message Formats
      • 53.8. Error and Notice Message Fields
      • 53.9. Logical Replication Message Formats
      • 53.10. Summary of Changes since Protocol 2.0
    • 54. PostgreSQL 程式撰寫慣例
      • 54.1. Formatting
      • 54.2. Reporting Errors Within the Server
      • 54.3. Error Message Style Guide
      • 54.4. Miscellaneous Coding Conventions
    • 56. Writing A Procedural Language Handler
    • 64. GiST Indexes
      • 64.1. Introduction
      • 64.2. Built-in Operator Classes
      • 64.3. Extensibility
      • 64.4. Implementation
      • 64.5. Examples
    • 65. SP-GiST Indexes
      • 65.1. Introduction
      • 65.2. Built-in Operator Classes
      • 65.3. Extensibility
      • 65.4. Implementation
      • 65.5. Examples
    • 66. GIN 索引
      • 66.1. 簡介
      • 66.2. 內建運算子類
      • 66.3. Extensibility
      • 66.4. Implementation
      • 66.5. GIN Tips and Tricks
      • 66.6. Limitations
      • 66.7. Examples
    • 67. BRIN Indexes
      • 67.1. Introduction
      • 67.2. Built-in Operator Classes
      • 67.3. Extensibility
    • 68. 資料庫實體儲存格式
      • 68.2. TOAST
      • 68.4 可視性映射表(Visibility Map)
    • 70. How the Planner Uses Statistics
      • 70.2. Multivariate Statistics Examples
  • VIII. 附錄
    • A. PostgreSQL錯誤代碼
    • B. 日期時間格式支援
      • B.1. 日期時間解譯流程
      • B.2. 日期時間慣用字
      • B.3. 日期時間設定檔
      • B.4. 日期時間的沿革
    • C. SQL 關鍵字
    • D. SQL 相容性
    • E. 版本資訊
    • F. 延伸支援模組
      • F.4. auto_explain
      • F.11. dblink
        • dblink
      • F.33. pg_visibility
    • G. Additional Supplied Programs
      • G.1. Client Applications
        • oid2name
        • vacuumlo
      • G.2. Server Applications
        • pg_standby
    • H. 外部專案
      • H.1. 用戶端介面
      • H.2. Administration Tools
      • H.3. Procedural Languages
      • H.4. Extensions
    • I. The Source Code Repository
      • I.1. Getting The Source via Git
    • J. 文件取得
    • K. 縮寫字
  • 參考書目
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  • 38.2.1. Base Types
  • 38.2.2. Container Types
  • 38.2.3. Domains
  • 38.2.4. Pseudo-Types
  • 38.2.5. Polymorphic Types

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  1. V. 資料庫程式設計
  2. 38. SQL 延伸功能

38.2. The PostgreSQL Type System

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Last updated 6 years ago

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PostgreSQL data types can be divided into base types, container types, domains, and pseudo-types.

38.2.1. Base Types

Base types are those, like integer, that are implemented below the level of the SQL language (typically in a low-level language such as C). They generally correspond to what are often known as abstract data types. PostgreSQL can only operate on such types through functions provided by the user and only understands the behavior of such types to the extent that the user describes them. The built-in base types are described in .

Enumerated (enum) types can be considered as a subcategory of base types. The main difference is that they can be created using just SQL commands, without any low-level programming. Refer to for more information.

38.2.2. Container Types

PostgreSQL has three kinds of “container” types, which are types that contain multiple values of other types. These are arrays, composites, and ranges.

Arrays can hold multiple values that are all of the same type. An array type is automatically created for each base type, composite type, range type, and domain type. But there are no arrays of arrays. So far as the type system is concerned, multi-dimensional arrays are the same as one-dimensional arrays. Refer to for more information.

Composite types, or row types, are created whenever the user creates a table. It is also possible to use to define a “stand-alone” composite type with no associated table. A composite type is simply a list of types with associated field names. A value of a composite type is a row or record of field values. Refer to for more information.

A range type can hold two values of the same type, which are the lower and upper bounds of the range. Range types are user-created, although a few built-in ones exist. Refer to for more information.

38.2.3. Domains

A domain is based on a particular underlying type and for many purposes is interchangeable with its underlying type. However, a domain can have constraints that restrict its valid values to a subset of what the underlying type would allow. Domains are created using the SQL command . Refer to for more information.

38.2.4. Pseudo-Types

There are a few “pseudo-types” for special purposes. Pseudo-types cannot appear as columns of tables or components of container types, but they can be used to declare the argument and result types of functions. This provides a mechanism within the type system to identify special classes of functions. lists the existing pseudo-types.

38.2.5. Polymorphic Types

Five pseudo-types of special interest are anyelement, anyarray, anynonarray, anyenum, and anyrange, which are collectively called polymorphic types. Any function declared using these types is said to be a polymorphic function. A polymorphic function can operate on many different data types, with the specific data type(s) being determined by the data types actually passed to it in a particular call.

Polymorphic arguments and results are tied to each other and are resolved to a specific data type when a query calling a polymorphic function is parsed. Each position (either argument or return value) declared as anyelement is allowed to have any specific actual data type, but in any given call they must all be the same actual type. Each position declared as anyarray can have any array data type, but similarly they must all be the same type. And similarly, positions declared as anyrange must all be the same range type. Furthermore, if there are positions declared anyarray and others declared anyelement, the actual array type in the anyarray positions must be an array whose elements are the same type appearing in the anyelement positions. Similarly, if there are positions declared anyrange and others declared anyelement, the actual range type in the anyrange positions must be a range whose subtype is the same type appearing in the anyelement positions. anynonarray is treated exactly the same as anyelement, but adds the additional constraint that the actual type must not be an array type. anyenum is treated exactly the same as anyelement, but adds the additional constraint that the actual type must be an enum type.

Thus, when more than one argument position is declared with a polymorphic type, the net effect is that only certain combinations of actual argument types are allowed. For example, a function declared as equal(anyelement, anyelement) will take any two input values, so long as they are of the same data type.

When the return value of a function is declared as a polymorphic type, there must be at least one argument position that is also polymorphic, and the actual data type supplied as the argument determines the actual result type for that call. For example, if there were not already an array subscripting mechanism, one could define a function that implements subscripting as subscript(anyarray, integer) returns anyelement. This declaration constrains the actual first argument to be an array type, and allows the parser to infer the correct result type from the actual first argument's type. Another example is that a function declared as f(anyarray) returns anyenum will only accept arrays of enum types.

Note that anynonarray and anyenum do not represent separate type variables; they are the same type as anyelement, just with an additional constraint. For example, declaring a function as f(anyelement, anyenum) is equivalent to declaring it as f(anyenum, anyenum): both actual arguments have to be the same enum type.

A variadic function (one taking a variable number of arguments, as in ) can be polymorphic: this is accomplished by declaring its last parameter as VARIADIC anyarray. For purposes of argument matching and determining the actual result type, such a function behaves the same as if you had written the appropriate number of anynonarray parameters.

Chapter 8
Section 8.7
Section 8.15
CREATE TYPE
Section 8.16
Section 8.17
CREATE DOMAIN
Section 8.18
Table 8.25
Section 38.5.5