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><DIV
CLASS="CHAPTER"
><H1
><A
NAME="DATATYPE"
></A
>Chapter 8. Data Types</H1
><DIV
CLASS="TOC"
><DL
><DT
><B
>Table of Contents</B
></DT
><DT
>8.1. <A
HREF="datatype-numeric.html"
>Numeric Types</A
></DT
><DD
><DL
><DT
>8.1.1. <A
HREF="datatype-numeric.html#DATATYPE-INT"
>Integer Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.1.2. <A
HREF="datatype-numeric.html#DATATYPE-NUMERIC-DECIMAL"
>Arbitrary Precision Numbers</A
></DT
><DT
>8.1.3. <A
HREF="datatype-numeric.html#DATATYPE-FLOAT"
>Floating-Point Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.1.4. <A
HREF="datatype-numeric.html#DATATYPE-SERIAL"
>Serial Types</A
></DT
></DL
></DD
><DT
>8.2. <A
HREF="datatype-money.html"
>Monetary Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.3. <A
HREF="datatype-character.html"
>Character Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.4. <A
HREF="datatype-binary.html"
>Binary Data Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.5. <A
HREF="datatype-datetime.html"
>Date/Time Types</A
></DT
><DD
><DL
><DT
>8.5.1. <A
HREF="datatype-datetime.html#DATATYPE-DATETIME-INPUT"
>Date/Time Input</A
></DT
><DT
>8.5.2. <A
HREF="datatype-datetime.html#DATATYPE-DATETIME-OUTPUT"
>Date/Time Output</A
></DT
><DT
>8.5.3. <A
HREF="datatype-datetime.html#DATATYPE-TIMEZONES"
>Time Zones</A
></DT
><DT
>8.5.4. <A
HREF="datatype-datetime.html#DATATYPE-INTERVAL-INPUT"
>Interval Input</A
></DT
><DT
>8.5.5. <A
HREF="datatype-datetime.html#DATATYPE-INTERVAL-OUTPUT"
>Interval Output</A
></DT
><DT
>8.5.6. <A
HREF="datatype-datetime.html#DATATYPE-DATETIME-INTERNALS"
>Internals</A
></DT
></DL
></DD
><DT
>8.6. <A
HREF="datatype-boolean.html"
>Boolean Type</A
></DT
><DT
>8.7. <A
HREF="datatype-enum.html"
>Enumerated Types</A
></DT
><DD
><DL
><DT
>8.7.1. <A
HREF="datatype-enum.html#AEN5987"
>Declaration of Enumerated Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.7.2. <A
HREF="datatype-enum.html#AEN5995"
>Ordering</A
></DT
><DT
>8.7.3. <A
HREF="datatype-enum.html#AEN6001"
>Type Safety</A
></DT
><DT
>8.7.4. <A
HREF="datatype-enum.html#AEN6011"
>Implementation Details</A
></DT
></DL
></DD
><DT
>8.8. <A
HREF="datatype-geometric.html"
>Geometric Types</A
></DT
><DD
><DL
><DT
>8.8.1. <A
HREF="datatype-geometric.html#AEN6087"
>Points</A
></DT
><DT
>8.8.2. <A
HREF="datatype-geometric.html#AEN6101"
>Line Segments</A
></DT
><DT
>8.8.3. <A
HREF="datatype-geometric.html#AEN6134"
>Boxes</A
></DT
><DT
>8.8.4. <A
HREF="datatype-geometric.html#AEN6163"
>Paths</A
></DT
><DT
>8.8.5. <A
HREF="datatype-geometric.html#AEN6196"
>Polygons</A
></DT
><DT
>8.8.6. <A
HREF="datatype-geometric.html#AEN6221"
>Circles</A
></DT
></DL
></DD
><DT
>8.9. <A
HREF="datatype-net-types.html"
>Network Address Types</A
></DT
><DD
><DL
><DT
>8.9.1. <A
HREF="datatype-net-types.html#DATATYPE-INET"
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>inet</TT
></A
></DT
><DT
>8.9.2. <A
HREF="datatype-net-types.html#DATATYPE-CIDR"
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>cidr</TT
></A
></DT
><DT
>8.9.3. <A
HREF="datatype-net-types.html#DATATYPE-INET-VS-CIDR"
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>inet</TT
> vs. <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>cidr</TT
></A
></DT
><DT
>8.9.4. <A
HREF="datatype-net-types.html#DATATYPE-MACADDR"
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>macaddr</TT
></A
></DT
></DL
></DD
><DT
>8.10. <A
HREF="datatype-bit.html"
>Bit String Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.11. <A
HREF="datatype-textsearch.html"
>Text Search Types</A
></DT
><DD
><DL
><DT
>8.11.1. <A
HREF="datatype-textsearch.html#DATATYPE-TSVECTOR"
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>tsvector</TT
></A
></DT
><DT
>8.11.2. <A
HREF="datatype-textsearch.html#DATATYPE-TSQUERY"
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>tsquery</TT
></A
></DT
></DL
></DD
><DT
>8.12. <A
HREF="datatype-uuid.html"
><ACRONYM
CLASS="ACRONYM"
>UUID</ACRONYM
> Type</A
></DT
><DT
>8.13. <A
HREF="datatype-xml.html"
><ACRONYM
CLASS="ACRONYM"
>XML</ACRONYM
> Type</A
></DT
><DD
><DL
><DT
>8.13.1. <A
HREF="datatype-xml.html#AEN6580"
>Creating XML Values</A
></DT
><DT
>8.13.2. <A
HREF="datatype-xml.html#AEN6620"
>Encoding Handling</A
></DT
><DT
>8.13.3. <A
HREF="datatype-xml.html#AEN6632"
>Accessing XML Values</A
></DT
></DL
></DD
><DT
>8.14. <A
HREF="arrays.html"
>Arrays</A
></DT
><DD
><DL
><DT
>8.14.1. <A
HREF="arrays.html#ARRAYS-DECLARATION"
>Declaration of Array Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.14.2. <A
HREF="arrays.html#ARRAYS-INPUT"
>Array Value Input</A
></DT
><DT
>8.14.3. <A
HREF="arrays.html#ARRAYS-ACCESSING"
>Accessing Arrays</A
></DT
><DT
>8.14.4. <A
HREF="arrays.html#ARRAYS-MODIFYING"
>Modifying Arrays</A
></DT
><DT
>8.14.5. <A
HREF="arrays.html#ARRAYS-SEARCHING"
>Searching in Arrays</A
></DT
><DT
>8.14.6. <A
HREF="arrays.html#ARRAYS-IO"
>Array Input and Output Syntax</A
></DT
></DL
></DD
><DT
>8.15. <A
HREF="rowtypes.html"
>Composite Types</A
></DT
><DD
><DL
><DT
>8.15.1. <A
HREF="rowtypes.html#AEN6860"
>Declaration of Composite Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.15.2. <A
HREF="rowtypes.html#AEN6875"
>Composite Value Input</A
></DT
><DT
>8.15.3. <A
HREF="rowtypes.html#AEN6896"
>Accessing Composite Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.15.4. <A
HREF="rowtypes.html#AEN6908"
>Modifying Composite Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.15.5. <A
HREF="rowtypes.html#AEN6919"
>Composite Type Input and Output Syntax</A
></DT
></DL
></DD
><DT
>8.16. <A
HREF="datatype-oid.html"
>Object Identifier Types</A
></DT
><DT
>8.17. <A
HREF="datatype-pseudo.html"
>Pseudo-Types</A
></DT
></DL
></DIV
><A
NAME="AEN4102"
></A
><A
NAME="AEN4104"
></A
><P
> <SPAN
CLASS="PRODUCTNAME"
>PostgreSQL</SPAN
> has a rich set of native data
types available to users. Users can add new types to
<SPAN
CLASS="PRODUCTNAME"
>PostgreSQL</SPAN
> using the <A
HREF="sql-createtype.html"
><I
>CREATE TYPE</I
></A
> command.
</P
><P
> <A
HREF="datatype.html#DATATYPE-TABLE"
>Table 8-1</A
> shows all the built-in general-purpose data
types. Most of the alternative names listed in the
<SPAN
CLASS="QUOTE"
>"Aliases"</SPAN
> column are the names used internally by
<SPAN
CLASS="PRODUCTNAME"
>PostgreSQL</SPAN
> for historical reasons. In
addition, some internally used or deprecated types are available,
but are not listed here.
</P
><DIV
CLASS="TABLE"
><A
NAME="DATATYPE-TABLE"
></A
><P
><B
>Table 8-1. Data Types</B
></P
><TABLE
BORDER="1"
CLASS="CALSTABLE"
><COL><COL><COL><THEAD
><TR
><TH
>Name</TH
><TH
>Aliases</TH
><TH
>Description</TH
></TR
></THEAD
><TBODY
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>bigint</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>int8</TT
></TD
><TD
>signed eight-byte integer</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>bigserial</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>serial8</TT
></TD
><TD
>autoincrementing eight-byte integer</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>bit [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>n</I
></TT
>) ]</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>fixed-length bit string</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>bit varying [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>n</I
></TT
>) ]</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>varbit</TT
></TD
><TD
>variable-length bit string</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>boolean</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>bool</TT
></TD
><TD
>logical Boolean (true/false)</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>box</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>rectangular box on a plane</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>bytea</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>binary data (<SPAN
CLASS="QUOTE"
>"byte array"</SPAN
>)</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>character varying [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>n</I
></TT
>) ]</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>varchar [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>n</I
></TT
>) ]</TT
></TD
><TD
>variable-length character string</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>character [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>n</I
></TT
>) ]</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>char [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>n</I
></TT
>) ]</TT
></TD
><TD
>fixed-length character string</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>cidr</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>IPv4 or IPv6 network address</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>circle</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>circle on a plane</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>date</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>calendar date (year, month, day)</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>double precision</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>float8</TT
></TD
><TD
>double precision floating-point number (8 bytes)</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>inet</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>IPv4 or IPv6 host address</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>integer</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>int</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>int4</TT
></TD
><TD
>signed four-byte integer</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>interval [ <TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>fields</I
></TT
> ] [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>p</I
></TT
>) ]</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>time span</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>line</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>infinite line on a plane</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>lseg</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>line segment on a plane</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>macaddr</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>MAC (Media Access Control) address</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>money</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>currency amount</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>numeric [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>p</I
></TT
>,
<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>s</I
></TT
>) ]</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>decimal [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>p</I
></TT
>,
<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>s</I
></TT
>) ]</TT
></TD
><TD
>exact numeric of selectable precision</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>path</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>geometric path on a plane</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>point</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>geometric point on a plane</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>polygon</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>closed geometric path on a plane</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>real</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>float4</TT
></TD
><TD
>single precision floating-point number (4 bytes)</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>smallint</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>int2</TT
></TD
><TD
>signed two-byte integer</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>serial</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>serial4</TT
></TD
><TD
>autoincrementing four-byte integer</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>text</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>variable-length character string</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>time [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>p</I
></TT
>) ] [ without time zone ]</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>time of day (no time zone)</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>time [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>p</I
></TT
>) ] with time zone</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>timetz</TT
></TD
><TD
>time of day, including time zone</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>timestamp [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>p</I
></TT
>) ] [ without time zone ]</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>date and time (no time zone)</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>timestamp [ (<TT
CLASS="REPLACEABLE"
><I
>p</I
></TT
>) ] with time zone</TT
></TD
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>timestamptz</TT
></TD
><TD
>date and time, including time zone</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>tsquery</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>text search query</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>tsvector</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>text search document</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>txid_snapshot</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>user-level transaction ID snapshot</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>uuid</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>universally unique identifier</TD
></TR
><TR
><TD
><TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>xml</TT
></TD
><TD
> </TD
><TD
>XML data</TD
></TR
></TBODY
></TABLE
></DIV
><DIV
CLASS="NOTE"
><BLOCKQUOTE
CLASS="NOTE"
><P
><B
>Compatibility: </B
> The following types (or spellings thereof) are specified by
<ACRONYM
CLASS="ACRONYM"
>SQL</ACRONYM
>: <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>bigint</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>bit</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>bit
varying</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>boolean</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>char</TT
>,
<TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>character varying</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>character</TT
>,
<TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>varchar</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>date</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>double
precision</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>integer</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>interval</TT
>,
<TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>numeric</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>decimal</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>real</TT
>,
<TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>smallint</TT
>, <TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>time</TT
> (with or without time zone),
<TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>timestamp</TT
> (with or without time zone),
<TT
CLASS="TYPE"
>xml</TT
>.
</P
></BLOCKQUOTE
></DIV
><P
> Each data type has an external representation determined by its input
and output functions. Many of the built-in types have
obvious external formats. However, several types are either unique
to <SPAN
CLASS="PRODUCTNAME"
>PostgreSQL</SPAN
>, such as geometric
paths, or have several possible formats, such as the date
and time types.
Some of the input and output functions are not invertible, i.e.,
the result of an output function might lose accuracy when compared to
the original input.
</P
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