July 30th, 2024

Pgzx: Postgres Extensions with Zig

Xata has launched pgzx, an open-source framework for building PostgreSQL extensions with Zig, enhancing code maintainability and efficiency, and includes features for memory safety, error handling, and testing.

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Pgzx: Postgres Extensions with Zig

Xata has introduced pgzx, an open-source framework designed for building PostgreSQL extensions using the Zig programming language. This framework allows developers to create maintainable and efficient code while leveraging the capabilities of PostgreSQL. Pgzx facilitates seamless interaction with PostgreSQL APIs, enabling users to call any Postgres function directly from Zig. It includes features such as memory allocators that utilize Postgres memory contexts, enhancing memory safety and preventing leaks. Additionally, pgzx offers a wrapper for standard Postgres error reporting, simplifying error handling in Zig.

The development environment provided by pgzx automatically downloads the Postgres source code and builds extensions, supporting both regression and unit testing. It also grants access to the Server Programming Interface (SPI), allowing SQL execution within extensions. Pgzx includes wrappers for various C data structures from the Postgres source, such as lists and hash tables.

Recent updates to pgzx include the introduction of pgstream, a command-line tool for PostgreSQL that supports Change Data Capture (CDC) with replication for Data Definition Language (DDL) changes. The framework aims to enhance the development of PostgreSQL extensions, making it easier for developers to implement custom functionalities. Xata also offers a competitive free plan for its database services, which includes features like high availability, data storage, and AI query capabilities, allowing users to build and scale their applications effectively.

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By @dang - 3 months
Introducing pgzx: create PostgreSQL extensions using Zig - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39779024 - March 2024 (37 comments)