PostGIS
Spatial and Geographic objects for PostgreSQL
About PostGIS
PostGIS is a spatial database extender for PostgreSQL object-relational database. It adds support for geographic objects allowing location queries to be run in SQL.
WITH city AS ( SELECT 'Gotham' AS name, ST_Buffer(ST_Point(0,0), 10) AS geom ) , superhero(name,geom) AS ( VALUES ('Bat Boy', ST_Point(0.1,0)) , ('Bat Girl', ST_Point(1,1) ) ) SELECT superhero.name FROM city INNER JOIN superhero ON ST_Contains(city.geom, superhero.geom) WHERE city.name = 'Gotham';
Docs for latest stable release
In addition to basic location awareness, PostGIS offers many features rarely found in other competing spatial databases such as Oracle Locator/Spatial and SQL Server. Refer to PostGIS Feature List for more details.
Should you upgrade now?
Not sure if you are running the best possible PostGIS for your PostgreSQL? Refer to our Version compatibility and EOL Policy.
License
PostGIS is released under the GNU General Public License (GPLv2 or later). Refer to License FAQ for more information. PostGIS is developed by a group of contributors led by a Project Steering Committee.
News
What's happening right now
PostGIS 3.2.0 Released
The PostGIS Team is pleased to release PostGIS 3.2.0, the Olivier Courtin release.
This release would not be possible without the various developers listed in the credits as well as the companies that provided funding and developer time.
Companies that contributed significantly to this release are:
- CrunchyData Geometry processing functions (and improvements to GEOS, new raster functions, and address_standardizer pcre2 support
- Kontur Speed improvements to raster, MVT, GiST indexing, better usability of geometry processing, and new radius clustering mode.
- Netlab Continuous improvement of PostGIS topology, PostGIS upgrade plumbing, PostGIS test plumbing, and CI bot management
- NIBIO Developer funding for topology improvements
- Paragon Corporation — General CI bot management, release management, alignment of PostGIS with PostgreSQL versions.
Olivier Courtin Farewell
In March 2020 we lost a long time PostGIS developer and friend, Olivier Courtin. The PostGIS 3.2.0 release is named in his honor.
PostGIS 3.2.0rc1 Released
The PostGIS Team is pleased to release the first rc of the upcoming PostGIS 3.2.0 release.
Best served with PostgreSQL 14. This version of PostGIS can utilize the faster GiST building support API introduced in PostgreSQL 14. If compiled with recently released GEOS 3.10.1 you can take advantage of improvements in ST_MakeValid and numerous speed improvements. This release also includes many additional functions and improvements for postgis, postgis_raster and postgis_topology extensions and a new input/export format FlatGeobuf.
PostGIS 3.2.0beta3 Released
The PostGIS Team is pleased to release the third beta of the upcoming PostGIS 3.2.0 release.
Best served with PostgreSQL 14. This version of PostGIS can utilize the faster GiST building support API introduced in PostgreSQL 14. If compiled with recently released GEOS 3.10.1 you can take advantage of improvements in ST_MakeValid and numerous speed improvements. This release also includes many additional functions and improvements for postgis, postgis_raster and postgis_topology extensions and a new input/export format FlatGeobuf.
Upcoming Events
Recent past events
PGCon 2020
May 26-29 2020, Ottawa, ON, Canada CHANGED TO ONLINE
PGConf EU 2019
Oct 15-18 2019, Milan, Italy
PostgresOpen 2019
Sept 11-13 2019, Orlando, FL, USA
Tips
Upgrading raster from 2.* to 3.*
As of PostGIS 3.0, the PostGIS raster support is no longer part of the
postgis extension, but instead spun off into a new PostGIS extension called postgis_raster.
The two main reasons for this break were:
Raster functionality in PostGIS is fat with over 150 functions and several types. Wading through these extra functions frustrated many who had no use for rasters.
Raster gdal dependency is very big and many dreamed of having postgis extension without the big raster dependency.
While repackaging raster as it’s own extension resolved many complaints, it meant a slightly more complicated upgrade process going from PostGIS 2.something to 3.something that even experienced PostGIS users managed to screw up.
I will detail the proper way of upgrading PostGIS raster, from a PostGIS 2.* install to 3.* install.
You can run these steps using psql or pgAdmin or any other PostgreSQL tool you want.
Regardless which version of PostGIS you are coming from, you should install the PostGIS 3.* binaries first.
Case Studies
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
As a software engineer at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, I work on a collaborative neuron reconstruction and analysis software called CATMAID 1 (screenshot: 3), which is used for neuroscience research. We use PostGIS to represent neurons in a 3D space.
Vanguard Appraisals
Vanguard Appraisals is new to the GIS world. In fact, we aren’t really in the GIS world; we just kind of brush up against it. We do mass property appraisal for entire county and city jurisdictions, and we develop software to collect, price and maintain values. We also host assessment data online so that homeowners can search and find property information much simpler from the comfort of their own home. Our software and websites are used in 7 states (IA, IL, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD).