prioritize

Overview

Version

Install

You can install pg_prioritize directly. First, make sure the PGDG repository is added and enabled:

pig repo add pgdg -u          # Add PGDG repo and update cache

Install the extension using pig or apt/yum/dnf:

pig install pg_prioritize;          # Install for current active PG version

pig ext install -y pg_prioritize -v 18  # PG 18
pig ext install -y pg_prioritize -v 17  # PG 17
pig ext install -y pg_prioritize -v 16  # PG 16
pig ext install -y pg_prioritize -v 15  # PG 15
pig ext install -y pg_prioritize -v 14  # PG 14

dnf install -y pg_prioritize_18       # PG 18
dnf install -y pg_prioritize_17       # PG 17
dnf install -y pg_prioritize_16       # PG 16
dnf install -y pg_prioritize_15       # PG 15
dnf install -y pg_prioritize_14       # PG 14

apt install -y postgresql-18-prioritize   # PG 18
apt install -y postgresql-17-prioritize   # PG 17
apt install -y postgresql-16-prioritize   # PG 16
apt install -y postgresql-15-prioritize   # PG 15
apt install -y postgresql-14-prioritize   # PG 14

Create Extension:

CREATE EXTENSION prioritize;

Usage

Sources:

• Official README
• SQL functions
• Control file

prioritize exposes operating-system priority controls for PostgreSQL backend processes. Use it to lower the scheduling priority of selected sessions; it is not a PostgreSQL query scheduler.

Inspect and Adjust a Backend

CREATE EXTENSION prioritize;
SELECT get_backend_priority(pg_backend_pid());
SELECT set_backend_priority(pg_backend_pid(), 10);

Any user may query a backend’s priority. A PostgreSQL superuser may request adjustments for any backend; other users may adjust only backends running under the same database role.

Adjust Related Sessions

SELECT set_backend_priority(pid, get_backend_priority(pid) + 5)
FROM pg_stat_activity
WHERE usename = CURRENT_USER;

Increasing the numeric nice value lowers operating-system scheduling priority. The example therefore reduces those backends’ priority, rather than speeding them up.

Privileges and Limits

Installation requires a superuser, with no preload or restart. Operating-system permissions still apply: ordinary PostgreSQL processes normally cannot lower the numeric nice value to increase priority. Database superuser privileges do not confer root privileges. Review platform scheduling policy and process identity before using bulk adjustments. The control file uses SQL version 1.0; distribution package version 1.0.4 is separate.