extension_control_path

extension_control_path is the PostgreSQL setting that defines the path for extension control files.

Note

Fact — official short description: “Sets the path for extension control files.”

Identity

Type , Valuestring: Upstream pg_settings type
Context , Valuesuperuser: Settable at runtime by a superuser
Unit , Value—: Raw unit
Range , Value—: Raw limits in the last observed version
Enum values , Value—: — for non-enum types
Category , ValueClient Connection Defaults / Other Defaults: Upstream classification
Latest boot value , Value$system: $system

Lifecycle

Fact	Value
First observed	PG18
Present in	PG18–19 Beta 3
Removed in	No
Introduction commit	`4f7f7b037585` — extension_control_path
Commit date	2025-03-19
Discussion	thread 1

Default history

Measured PG9.0–19 Beta 3 boot defaults
Versions	Raw `boot_val`	Unit	Human value
PG18–19 Beta 3	`$system`	—	$system

How it works

extension_control_path sets the path for extension control files. The remaining extension script and secondary control files are then loaded from the same directory where the primary control file was found. PostgreSQL searches this path for an extension’s primary control file, then loads its scripts and secondary control files from the directory where that primary file was found.

extension_control_path is a SUPERUSER-context setting. Superuser or a role granted the appropriate SET privilege can change it for a session, while ALTER ROLE or ALTER DATABASE can establish a default for future sessions.

Library discovery and preloading interact with installed binary versions, extension control files, server or backend startup, and the module’s own GUCs.

Tuning advice

Tip

Advice. These are workload-specific starting points and must be validated with measurements.

Workload	Guidance
OLTP	Keep $system first and add only administrator-controlled extension repositories whose control files, scripts, native libraries, upgrades, and rollback are versioned together.
OLAP	Use a separate path only to distribute a reviewed extension catalog consistently across primary and standby packages; test CREATE EXTENSION and every upgrade edge.
Small nodes	Keep $system. Extra control-file roots do not improve capacity and make extension provenance and disaster recovery harder to audit.

Pigsty

Values use the fixed 8-vCPU, 32-GiB, 100-GiB SSD fixture and render the current Pigsty templates for PG19 Beta 3; this does not assert current Pigsty support for that historical or beta release.

Template	Effective value	Versus upstream boot	Source expression
OLTP	Unmodified	—	—
OLAP	Unmodified	—	—
CRIT	Unmodified	—	—
TINY	Unmodified	—	—

Caution

Advice — pending human review. Fact from the current Pigsty template projection: OLTP: PG18–19 Beta 3 unmodified; OLAP: PG18–19 Beta 3 unmodified; CRIT: PG18–19 Beta 3 unmodified; TINY: PG18–19 Beta 3 unmodified. No Pigsty-specific rationale is inferred from an absent override.

Common pitfalls

Changing extension_control_path in one session and assuming role defaults, database defaults, or other pooled sessions changed with it.
Naming a missing or ABI-incompatible module and causing connection failure or a server that cannot start.
Treating a search or preload path as harmless even though it defines which native code the server trusts.
Changing extension_control_path globally without a rollback plan and a client or operational compatibility test.

shared_preload_libraries · session_preload_libraries · local_preload_libraries · dynamic_library_path · jit_provider