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2 <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /><title>CREATE OPERATOR CLASS</title><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet.css" /><link rev="made" href="pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org" /><meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets Vsnapshot" /><link rel="prev" href="sql-createoperator.html" title="CREATE OPERATOR" /><link rel="next" href="sql-createopfamily.html" title="CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY" /></head><body id="docContent" class="container-fluid col-10"><div class="navheader"><table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"><tr><th colspan="5" align="center">CREATE OPERATOR CLASS</th></tr><tr><td width="10%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="sql-createoperator.html" title="CREATE OPERATOR">Prev</a> </td><td width="10%" align="left"><a accesskey="u" href="sql-commands.html" title="SQL Commands">Up</a></td><th width="60%" align="center">SQL Commands</th><td width="10%" align="right"><a accesskey="h" href="index.html" title="PostgreSQL 18.0 Documentation">Home</a></td><td width="10%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="sql-createopfamily.html" title="CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr /></div><div class="refentry" id="SQL-CREATEOPCLASS"><div class="titlepage"></div><a id="id-1.9.3.73.1" class="indexterm"></a><div class="refnamediv"><h2><span class="refentrytitle">CREATE OPERATOR CLASS</span></h2><p>CREATE OPERATOR CLASS — define a new operator class</p></div><div class="refsynopsisdiv"><h2>Synopsis</h2><pre class="synopsis">
3 CREATE OPERATOR CLASS <em class="replaceable"><code>name</code></em> [ DEFAULT ] FOR TYPE <em class="replaceable"><code>data_type</code></em>
4 USING <em class="replaceable"><code>index_method</code></em> [ FAMILY <em class="replaceable"><code>family_name</code></em> ] AS
5 { OPERATOR <em class="replaceable"><code>strategy_number</code></em> <em class="replaceable"><code>operator_name</code></em> [ ( <em class="replaceable"><code>op_type</code></em>, <em class="replaceable"><code>op_type</code></em> ) ] [ FOR SEARCH | FOR ORDER BY <em class="replaceable"><code>sort_family_name</code></em> ]
6 | FUNCTION <em class="replaceable"><code>support_number</code></em> [ ( <em class="replaceable"><code>op_type</code></em> [ , <em class="replaceable"><code>op_type</code></em> ] ) ] <em class="replaceable"><code>function_name</code></em> ( <em class="replaceable"><code>argument_type</code></em> [, ...] )
7 | STORAGE <em class="replaceable"><code>storage_type</code></em>
9 </pre></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.73.5"><h2>Description</h2><p>
10 <code class="command">CREATE OPERATOR CLASS</code> creates a new operator class.
11 An operator class defines how a particular data type can be used with
12 an index. The operator class specifies that certain operators will fill
13 particular roles or <span class="quote">“<span class="quote">strategies</span>”</span> for this data type and this
14 index method. The operator class also specifies the support functions to
16 the index method when the operator class is selected for an
17 index column. All the operators and functions used by an operator
18 class must be defined before the operator class can be created.
20 If a schema name is given then the operator class is created in the
21 specified schema. Otherwise it is created in the current schema.
22 Two operator classes in the same schema can have the same name only if they
23 are for different index methods.
25 The user who defines an operator class becomes its owner. Presently,
26 the creating user must be a superuser. (This restriction is made because
27 an erroneous operator class definition could confuse or even crash the
30 <code class="command">CREATE OPERATOR CLASS</code> does not presently check
31 whether the operator class definition includes all the operators and
32 functions required by the index method, nor whether the operators and
33 functions form a self-consistent set. It is the user's
34 responsibility to define a valid operator class.
36 Related operator classes can be grouped into <em class="firstterm">operator
37 families</em>. To add a new operator class to an existing family,
38 specify the <code class="literal">FAMILY</code> option in <code class="command">CREATE OPERATOR
39 CLASS</code>. Without this option, the new class is placed into
40 a family named the same as the new class (creating that family if
41 it doesn't already exist).
43 Refer to <a class="xref" href="xindex.html" title="36.16. Interfacing Extensions to Indexes">Section 36.16</a> for further information.
44 </p></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.73.6"><h2>Parameters</h2><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>name</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
45 The name of the operator class to be created. The name can be
47 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><code class="literal">DEFAULT</code></span></dt><dd><p>
48 If present, the operator class will become the default
49 operator class for its data type. At most one operator class
50 can be the default for a specific data type and index method.
51 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>data_type</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
52 The column data type that this operator class is for.
53 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>index_method</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
54 The name of the index method this operator class is for.
55 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>family_name</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
56 The name of the existing operator family to add this operator class to.
57 If not specified, a family named the same as the operator class is
58 used (creating it, if it doesn't already exist).
59 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>strategy_number</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
60 The index method's strategy number for an operator
61 associated with the operator class.
62 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>operator_name</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
63 The name (optionally schema-qualified) of an operator associated
64 with the operator class.
65 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>op_type</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
66 In an <code class="literal">OPERATOR</code> clause,
67 the operand data type(s) of the operator, or <code class="literal">NONE</code> to
68 signify a prefix operator. The operand data
69 types can be omitted in the normal case where they are the same
70 as the operator class's data type.
72 In a <code class="literal">FUNCTION</code> clause, the operand data type(s) the
73 function is intended to support, if different from
74 the input data type(s) of the function (for B-tree comparison functions
76 or the class's data type (for B-tree sort support functions,
77 B-tree equal image functions, and all functions in GiST,
78 SP-GiST, GIN and BRIN operator classes). These defaults are
79 correct, and so <em class="replaceable"><code>op_type</code></em> need not be specified
80 in <code class="literal">FUNCTION</code> clauses, except for the case of a
81 B-tree sort support function that is meant to support
82 cross-data-type comparisons.
83 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>sort_family_name</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
84 The name (optionally schema-qualified) of an existing <code class="literal">btree</code> operator
85 family that describes the sort ordering associated with an ordering
88 If neither <code class="literal">FOR SEARCH</code> nor <code class="literal">FOR ORDER BY</code> is
89 specified, <code class="literal">FOR SEARCH</code> is the default.
90 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>support_number</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
91 The index method's support function number for a
92 function associated with the operator class.
93 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>function_name</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
94 The name (optionally schema-qualified) of a function that is an
95 index method support function for the operator class.
96 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>argument_type</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
97 The parameter data type(s) of the function.
98 </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>storage_type</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
99 The data type actually stored in the index. Normally this is
100 the same as the column data type, but some index methods
101 (currently GiST, GIN, SP-GiST and BRIN) allow it to be different. The
102 <code class="literal">STORAGE</code> clause must be omitted unless the index
103 method allows a different type to be used.
104 If the column <em class="replaceable"><code>data_type</code></em> is specified
105 as <code class="type">anyarray</code>, the <em class="replaceable"><code>storage_type</code></em>
106 can be declared as <code class="type">anyelement</code> to indicate that the index
107 entries are members of the element type belonging to the actual array
108 type that each particular index is created for.
109 </p></dd></dl></div><p>
110 The <code class="literal">OPERATOR</code>, <code class="literal">FUNCTION</code>, and <code class="literal">STORAGE</code>
111 clauses can appear in any order.
112 </p></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.73.7"><h2>Notes</h2><p>
113 Because the index machinery does not check access permissions on functions
114 before using them, including a function or operator in an operator class
115 is tantamount to granting public execute permission on it. This is usually
116 not an issue for the sorts of functions that are useful in an operator
119 The operators should not be defined by SQL functions. An SQL function
120 is likely to be inlined into the calling query, which will prevent
121 the optimizer from recognizing that the query matches an index.
122 </p></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.73.8"><h2>Examples</h2><p>
123 The following example command defines a GiST index operator class
124 for the data type <code class="literal">_int4</code> (array of <code class="type">int4</code>). See the
125 <a class="xref" href="intarray.html" title="F.19. intarray — manipulate arrays of integers">intarray</a> module for the complete example.
126 </p><pre class="programlisting">
127 CREATE OPERATOR CLASS gist__int_ops
128 DEFAULT FOR TYPE _int4 USING gist AS
129 OPERATOR 3 &&,
130 OPERATOR 6 = (anyarray, anyarray),
133 OPERATOR 20 @@ (_int4, query_int),
134 FUNCTION 1 g_int_consistent (internal, _int4, smallint, oid, internal),
135 FUNCTION 2 g_int_union (internal, internal),
136 FUNCTION 3 g_int_compress (internal),
137 FUNCTION 4 g_int_decompress (internal),
138 FUNCTION 5 g_int_penalty (internal, internal, internal),
139 FUNCTION 6 g_int_picksplit (internal, internal),
140 FUNCTION 7 g_int_same (_int4, _int4, internal);
141 </pre></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.73.9"><h2>Compatibility</h2><p>
142 <code class="command">CREATE OPERATOR CLASS</code> is a
143 <span class="productname">PostgreSQL</span> extension. There is no
144 <code class="command">CREATE OPERATOR CLASS</code> statement in the SQL
146 </p></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.73.10"><h2>See Also</h2><span class="simplelist"><a class="xref" href="sql-alteropclass.html" title="ALTER OPERATOR CLASS"><span class="refentrytitle">ALTER OPERATOR CLASS</span></a>, <a class="xref" href="sql-dropopclass.html" title="DROP OPERATOR CLASS"><span class="refentrytitle">DROP OPERATOR CLASS</span></a>, <a class="xref" href="sql-createopfamily.html" title="CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY"><span class="refentrytitle">CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY</span></a>, <a class="xref" href="sql-alteropfamily.html" title="ALTER OPERATOR FAMILY"><span class="refentrytitle">ALTER OPERATOR FAMILY</span></a></span></div></div><div class="navfooter"><hr /><table width="100%" summary="Navigation footer"><tr><td width="40%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="sql-createoperator.html" title="CREATE OPERATOR">Prev</a> </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="u" href="sql-commands.html" title="SQL Commands">Up</a></td><td width="40%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="sql-createopfamily.html" title="CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY">Next</a></td></tr><tr><td width="40%" align="left" valign="top">CREATE OPERATOR </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="h" href="index.html" title="PostgreSQL 18.0 Documentation">Home</a></td><td width="40%" align="right" valign="top"> CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY</td></tr></table></div></body></html>