About

The Site

pgref.dev was built out of frustration with the official PostgreSQL documentation — accurate and complete, but slow to navigate when you just need a quick answer under pressure.

The goal is simple: find the function you need, understand exactly how it behaves (including the edge cases), and get back to work in under 5 seconds.

It covers every built-in PostgreSQL function across 34 categories, with real SQL examples, version compatibility notes, anti-pattern warnings, and guidance for developers, DBAs, data engineers, and security engineers. SQLite and MariaDB equivalents are included where they differ.

Who built this

I'm D. Kalanidhi — a developer who has been working with PostgreSQL across production applications, reporting databases, and data pipelines. I built pgref.dev because I kept hitting the same wall: needing to know whether COALESCE or NULLIF was the right call, or forgetting the exact frame clause syntax for a window function at 2am, and having to wade through pages of official docs to find a single example.

The reference covers 400+ PostgreSQL functions because I catalogued them all. The gotchas page exists because I've hit most of them. The blog covers the problems that cost me real hours — not textbook examples, but the specific ways PostgreSQL behaves that aren't obvious until they bite you.

pgref.dev is free, has no login wall, and never will. I just want it to be useful.

Other projects

I also built PortuStories — a European Portuguese reading app for language learners. Same idea: something that fills a gap and makes a small part of life easier.