Re: Inline Extension

Dimitri Fontaine <dimitri(at)2ndQuadrant(dot)fr> writes:
> Heikki Linnakangas <heikki(dot)linnakangas(at)enterprisedb(dot)com> writes:
>> Frankly I don't see the point of this. If the extension is an independent
>> piece of (SQL) code, developed separately from an application, with its own
>> lifecycle, a .sql file seems like the best way to distribute it. If it's
>> not, ie. if it's an integral part of the database schema, then why package
>> it as an extension in the first place?

> It allows to easily deploy an extension to N databases (my current use
> case has 256 databases) and knowing which version is installed on each
> server. It's easier to QA your procedures and upgrades when they are
> packaged as extensions, too.

> Now, for the dependency on a SQL file hosting the content, it's easier
> to just connect to the databases and get them the script in the SQL
> command rather than deploying a set of files: that means OS level
> packaging, either RPM or debian or some other variant. Or some other
> means of easily deploying the files. An SQL connection is all you need
> if you're not shipping .so.

I'm with Heikki on not believing that this is a good idea. If you are
trying to do careful versioning of a set of object definitions, you want
to stick the things in a file, you don't want them just flying by in
submitted SQL. Also, a large part of the point of the extension
facility is to be able to do uninstall/reinstall and version
upgrades/downgrades, none of which are possible unless the extension
scripts are stored somewhere.

ISTM your distribution concern would be much better addressed by
installing contrib/adminpack and then just using pg_file_write()
to put the new extension script into the remote server's library.

regards, tom lane