PostgreSQL Formatter

Format PostgreSQL queries with dialect-specific support for double-quoted identifiers, PostgreSQL operators, and advanced features. Transform complex Postgres SQL into readable code with proper formatting for JSONB, arrays, CTEs, and window functions—optimized for PostgreSQL syntax.

Why Use PostgreSQL Formatter

PostgreSQL has advanced features—double-quoted identifiers, JSONB operators (->>, #>), array syntax, window functions, and CTEs—that generic SQL formatters don't handle well. This Postgres-specific formatter recognizes PostgreSQL dialect features, preserves double-quote identifier syntax, formats JSONB and array operators correctly, and handles PostgreSQL-specific clauses like RETURNING, ON CONFLICT, and window functions. Essential for formatting pg_dump output, Django ORM query logs, or complex analytical queries with window functions where generic formatters would break PostgreSQL-specific operators or misformat advanced syntax.

Double-quote preservation: Maintains PostgreSQL's case-sensitive identifier quoting
JSONB operator support: Formats ->, ->>, #>, #>> JSON operators correctly
Array syntax handling: Properly formats ARRAY[], ANY(), ALL() constructs
Window function formatting: Aligns PARTITION BY, ORDER BY in window functions
CTE optimization: Formats WITH queries and recursive CTEs clearly

Format PostgreSQL →

Choose the Right Variant

This page: PostgreSQL-specific formatting for Postgres 12, 13, 14+ queries
MySQL Formatter: MySQL-specific formatting
SQL Formatter Online: Generic SQL formatting
SQL Query Formatter: Multi-dialect query formatting

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Copy unformatted PostgreSQL query from psql, pgAdmin, or Django log
Example: SELECT "user_id","email",data->>'preferences'prefs FROM "users"WHERE created_at>CURRENT_DATE-INTERVAL'7 days'AND tags@>ARRAY['premium']::text[]ORDER BY created_at DESC LIMIT 10
Paste into PostgreSQL formatter
Click "Format" to apply Postgres-specific formatting
Output with properly aligned PostgreSQL syntax:
SELECT
"user_id",
"email",
data ->> 'preferences' prefs
FROM "users"
WHERE created_at > CURRENT_DATE - INTERVAL '7 days'
AND tags @> ARRAY['premium']::text[]
ORDER BY created_at DESC
LIMIT 10
Copy formatted PostgreSQL for code review or documentation

Real-World Use Case

A data engineer debugs a slow analytics query that uses PostgreSQL window functions to calculate running totals across partitions. The query from the application log is a 600-character one-liner with PARTITION BY, ORDER BY, nested window functions, and JSONB extractions. They paste it into the PostgreSQL formatter, which produces properly indented output with aligned window function clauses and preserved JSONB -> operators. Now they can see the window function is missing an index on the PARTITION BY column and the ORDER BY is inefficient. They add a composite index covering PARTITION BY + ORDER BY columns, query time drops from 4.5s to 320ms. This saves 25 minutes per performance investigation by making complex PostgreSQL syntax structure immediately visible instead of parsing nested clauses manually.

Best Practices

Verify PostgreSQL version compatibility—syntax evolved significantly in 12, 13, 14
Preserve double-quoted identifiers—required for case-sensitive names or reserved words
Test formatted queries in PostgreSQL development environment before production
Check that JSONB operators (->, ->>, #>) format correctly without spaces breaking them
Validate array and range operators (@>, &&, <@) are preserved exactly
For window functions, ensure PARTITION BY and ORDER BY align properly

Performance & Limits

Query size: Formats PostgreSQL queries up to 3 MB (analytical queries)
Processing speed: Standard queries format in < 150ms
Batch support: Process multiple Postgres statements separated by semicolons
PostgreSQL versions: Supports PostgreSQL 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15+ syntax

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using generic SQL formatters: May break JSONB operators or array syntax
Ignoring PostgreSQL-specific operators: ->, @>, &&, :: casting needs special handling
Not testing formatted output: Always run in PostgreSQL to verify correctness
Losing double-quote identifiers: Case-sensitive names require double quotes
Misformatting window functions: PARTITION BY alignment critical for readability

Privacy and Data Handling

All PostgreSQL formatting happens locally in your browser. Queries are processed client-side without server transmission. For production database queries containing customer data or sensitive JSONB fields, use private browsing mode. Remove sensitive WHERE clause values or schema details before sharing formatted Postgres SQL in team documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does PostgreSQL use double quotes for identifiers?

PostgreSQL follows ANSI SQL standard by using double quotes for case-sensitive identifiers and to quote reserved words or special characters. For example, "UserID" is different from "userid" when double-quoted. Unquoted identifiers are automatically lowercased, so SELECT UserId becomes select userid. Double quotes preserve exact casing. pg_dump generates double-quoted identifiers by default for safety. This differs from MySQL's backticks. Most PostgreSQL formatters preserve double quotes to maintain query semantics. You can omit quotes for lowercase, non-reserved identifiers, but quoted identifiers are the Postgres convention for generated code and migrations.

How does the formatter handle JSONB operators like ->> and #>?

PostgreSQL JSONB operators (-> for JSON object access, ->> for text extraction, #> for path access, #>> for path text extraction) must be formatted without breaking the operator. A Postgres-aware formatter recognizes these as operators, not separate minus/greater-than symbols, and preserves spacing correctly. For example, data ->> 'email' should keep the ->> intact. Generic SQL formatters might insert spaces (data - >> 'email') which breaks the operator. Test your formatter with JSONB queries to ensure operators format correctly—this is critical for PostgreSQL queries using JSON columns.

How should window functions format for readability?

PostgreSQL window functions (ROW_NUMBER, RANK, LAG, LEAD with OVER clause) should format with PARTITION BY and ORDER BY on separate indented lines under the OVER clause for readability. For example: ROW_NUMBER() OVER (PARTITION BY category ORDER BY sales DESC) should format as multi-line when the OVER clause is complex. Named window definitions (WINDOW clause) should be clearly separated. Many teams use leading alignment for window clauses to make partition and ordering logic obvious. Test your formatter with complex analytical queries to ensure window function formatting matches your team's style guide.

What's the difference between PostgreSQL and standard SQL formatting?

PostgreSQL extends ANSI SQL with features like JSONB operators, array syntax (ARRAY[]), range types, advanced CTEs with RECURSIVE and MATERIALIZED options, window functions, LATERAL joins, RETURNING clauses, ON CONFLICT for upserts, and :: casting syntax. Generic "standard SQL" formatters don't recognize these PostgreSQL-specific features and may misformat them. Use a PostgreSQL-specific formatter if your queries use any Postgres extensions. For basic SELECT/INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE without Postgres features, generic formatters work fine. But for production Postgres applications using advanced features, dialect-specific formatting prevents syntax errors and improves readability.