ChillGuy PostgreSQL C Extension

Overview

This project is a fun PostgreSQL C extension that generates an ASCII art design when called. It demonstrates how to create a simple PostgreSQL extension using C, showcasing the extensibility of PostgreSQL.

Development Environment

Prerequisites

• Docker
• PostgreSQL development tools

Docker Development Setup

Docker Image

• Base Image: postgres:17
• Development Isolation: Containerized PostgreSQL environment

Starting the PostgreSQL Container

# Create and start the PostgreSQL container
docker run -d \
    --name chillguy-postgres \
    -p 5432:5432 \
    -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=mysecretpassword \
    postgres:17

Connecting to the Database

# Connect using psql
psql -U postgres -h localhost -p 5432

Project Structure

chillguy/
├── Dockerfile
├── Makefile
├── chillguy.control
├── chillguy.c
└── chillguy--0.0.1.sql

Building the Extension

Inside the PostgreSQL Container

# Enter the PostgreSQL container
docker exec -it chillguy-postgres bash

# Install development libraries
apt-get update && apt-get install -y postgresql-server-dev-17 build-essential

These tools are necessary for building C extensions in PostgreSQL.

# Copy extension files to the container
docker cp ./chillguy postgres:/path/to/extension

# Build and install the extension
cd /path/to/extension
make
make install

Usage in PostgreSQL

1. Create the extension:

CREATE EXTENSION chillguy;

2. Call the function to display ASCII art:

SELECT chillguy();

Learning Objectives

• PostgreSQL extension development with Docker
• Creating C functions in PostgreSQL
• Containerized database development

Potential Improvements

• Add more ASCII art designs
• Implement design variations
• Create randomization logic

Troubleshooting

• Ensure Docker is running
• Check port 5432 is not in use
• Verify PostgreSQL container is up

Contributing

Contributions, creative ASCII art, and feature requests are welcome!

Development Notes

• PostgreSQL Version: 17
• Development Environment: Docker
• Connection: psql -U postgres -h localhost -p 5432

References

• Simple PostgreSQL C Extension Development
• PostgreSQL Pseudo-Type Documentation