PostgresqlHow-ToBeginner · 3 min read

How to Check PostgreSQL Version Quickly and Easily

To check the PostgreSQL version, run the SQL command SELECT version(); inside the database. Alternatively, use the command line tool with psql --version or postgres -V to see the installed version.

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Syntax

The main ways to check PostgreSQL version are:

SELECT version(); - runs inside the database and returns detailed version info.
psql --version - runs in the command line and shows the client version.
postgres -V - runs in the command line and shows the server version.

sql

SELECT version();

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Example

This example shows how to check the PostgreSQL version by running the SQL command inside the database and using the command line.

sql

/* Inside psql shell or any SQL client connected to PostgreSQL */
SELECT version();

/* In your terminal or command prompt */
psql --version
postgres -V

Output

PostgreSQL 14.5 on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by gcc (Ubuntu 9.3.0-17ubuntu1~20.04) 9.3.0, 64-bit psql (PostgreSQL) 14.5 postgres (PostgreSQL) 14.5

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Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when checking PostgreSQL version include:

Running SELECT version(); outside a connected database session will fail.
Using psql --version shows the client version, which might differ from the server version.
Running postgres -V requires the postgres binary to be in your system PATH.

sql

/* Wrong: Running SQL without connection */
SELECT version(); -- Fails if not connected

/* Right: Connect first then run */
psql -d your_database
SELECT version();

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Quick Reference

Method	Command	Description
SQL Query	SELECT version();	Shows detailed PostgreSQL server version inside database.
Command Line	psql --version	Shows PostgreSQL client (psql) version.
Command Line	postgres -V	Shows PostgreSQL server binary version.

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Key Takeaways

Use SELECT version(); inside a connected database to get full server version details.

Use psql --version in the terminal to check the client version.

Use postgres -V to check the server binary version from the command line.

Ensure you are connected to the database before running SQL commands.

Client and server versions may differ; check both if needed.