pg_protobuf

Overview

Version

Build

You can build the RPM / DEB packages for pg_protobuf using pig build:

pig build pkg pg_protobuf         # build RPM / DEB packages

Install

You can install pg_protobuf directly. First, make sure the PGDG and PIGSTY repositories are added and enabled:

pig repo add pgsql -u          # Add repo and update cache

Install the extension using pig or apt/yum/dnf:

• Install
• pig
• dnf
• apt

pig install pg_protobuf;          # Install for current active PG version

pig ext install -y pg_protobuf -v 18  # PG 18
pig ext install -y pg_protobuf -v 17  # PG 17
pig ext install -y pg_protobuf -v 16  # PG 16
pig ext install -y pg_protobuf -v 15  # PG 15
pig ext install -y pg_protobuf -v 14  # PG 14

dnf install -y pg_protobuf_18       # PG 18
dnf install -y pg_protobuf_17       # PG 17
dnf install -y pg_protobuf_16       # PG 16
dnf install -y pg_protobuf_15       # PG 15
dnf install -y pg_protobuf_14       # PG 14

apt install -y postgresql-18-pg-protobuf   # PG 18
apt install -y postgresql-17-pg-protobuf   # PG 17
apt install -y postgresql-16-pg-protobuf   # PG 16
apt install -y postgresql-15-pg-protobuf   # PG 15
apt install -y postgresql-14-pg-protobuf   # PG 14

Create Extension:

CREATE EXTENSION pg_protobuf;

Usage

pg_protobuf: Protocol Buffers support for PostgreSQL

Provides functions to decode Protocol Buffer binary data directly in SQL without schema definitions.

Functions

• protobuf_decode(bytea) RETURNS cstring – Decode protobuf binary into a human-readable format
• protobuf_get_int(bytea, int) RETURNS bigint – Extract an integer field by field number
• protobuf_get_string(bytea, int) RETURNS text – Extract a string field by field number
• protobuf_get_bytes(bytea, int) RETURNS bytea – Extract raw bytes by field number
• protobuf_get_bool(bytea, int) RETURNS boolean – Extract a boolean field by field number
• protobuf_get_float(bytea, int) RETURNS real – Extract a float field by field number
• protobuf_get_double(bytea, int) RETURNS double precision – Extract a double field by field number
• protobuf_get_sfixed32(bytea, int) RETURNS int – Extract a signed fixed 32-bit field
• protobuf_get_sfixed64(bytea, int) RETURNS bigint – Extract a signed fixed 64-bit field
• protobuf_get_int_multi(bytea, int) RETURNS bigint[] – Extract repeated integer fields
• protobuf_get_string_multi(bytea, int) RETURNS text[] – Extract repeated string fields
• protobuf_get_bytes_multi(bytea, int) RETURNS bytea[] – Extract repeated bytes fields
• protobuf_get_bool_multi(bytea, int) RETURNS boolean[] – Extract repeated boolean fields
• protobuf_get_float_multi(bytea, int) RETURNS real[] – Extract repeated float fields
• protobuf_get_double_multi(bytea, int) RETURNS double precision[] – Extract repeated double fields
• protobuf_get_sfixed32_multi(bytea, int) RETURNS int[] – Extract repeated sfixed32 fields
• protobuf_get_sfixed64_multi(bytea, int) RETURNS bigint[] – Extract repeated sfixed64 fields

Example

CREATE EXTENSION pg_protobuf;

-- Create a table with protobuf data
CREATE TABLE heroes (x bytea);

-- Define accessor functions for specific fields
CREATE FUNCTION hero_name(x bytea) RETURNS text AS $$
BEGIN
  RETURN protobuf_get_string(x, 512);
END $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql IMMUTABLE;

CREATE FUNCTION hero_hp(x bytea) RETURNS bigint AS $$
BEGIN
  RETURN protobuf_get_int(x, 2);
END $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql IMMUTABLE;

-- Create an index on a protobuf field
CREATE INDEX hero_name_idx ON heroes USING btree(hero_name(x));

-- Query by protobuf field
SELECT hero_name(x) FROM heroes ORDER BY hero_name(x) LIMIT 10;

Limitations

• No modification of Protobuf data
• Enums readable via protobuf_get_int
• Unsigned types not directly supported (no unsigned integers in PostgreSQL)
• [packed=true] not supported by *_multi procedures (use protobuf_get_bytes* instead)