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# Semantic conventions for PostgreSQL

**Status**: [Release Candidate][DocumentStatus]

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- [Spans](#spans)
- [Metrics](#metrics)

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The Semantic Conventions for *PostgreSQL* extend and override the [Database Semantic Conventions](README.md).

## Spans

Spans representing calls to a PostgreSQL database adhere to the general [Semantic Conventions for Database Client Spans](database-spans.md).

`db.system.name` MUST be set to `"postgresql"` and SHOULD be provided **at span creation time**.

The following table outlines the span attributes applicable to PostgreSQL.

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| Attribute  | Type | Description  | Examples  | [Requirement Level](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/specs/semconv/general/attribute-requirement-level/) | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [`db.namespace`](/docs/attributes-registry/db.md) | string | The schema associated with the connection, qualified by the database name. [1] | `mydatabase.products`; `mydatabase.customers` | `Conditionally Required` If available without an additional network call. | ![Release Candidate](https://img.shields.io/badge/-rc-mediumorchid) |
| [`db.response.status_code`](/docs/attributes-registry/db.md) | string | [PostgreSQL error code](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/errcodes-appendix.html). [2] | `08000`; `08P01` | `Conditionally Required` If response has ended with warning or an error. | ![Release Candidate](https://img.shields.io/badge/-rc-mediumorchid) |
| [`error.type`](/docs/attributes-registry/error.md) | string | Describes a class of error the operation ended with. [3] | `timeout`; `java.net.UnknownHostException`; `server_certificate_invalid`; `500` | `Conditionally Required` If and only if the operation failed. | ![Stable](https://img.shields.io/badge/-stable-lightgreen) |
| [`server.port`](/docs/attributes-registry/server.md) | int | Server port number. [4] | `80`; `8080`; `443` | `Conditionally Required` [5] | ![Stable](https://img.shields.io/badge/-stable-lightgreen) |
| [`db.operation.batch.size`](/docs/attributes-registry/db.md) | int | The number of queries included in a batch operation. [6] | `2`; `3`; `4` | `Recommended` | ![Release Candidate](https://img.shields.io/badge/-rc-mediumorchid) |
| [`db.query.summary`](/docs/attributes-registry/db.md) | string | Low cardinality representation of a database query text. [7] | `SELECT wuser_table`; `INSERT shipping_details SELECT orders`; `get user by id` | `Recommended` [8] | ![Release Candidate](https://img.shields.io/badge/-rc-mediumorchid) |
| [`db.query.text`](/docs/attributes-registry/db.md) | string | The database query being executed. [9] | `SELECT * FROM wuser_table where username = ?`; `SET mykey ?` | `Recommended` [10] | ![Release Candidate](https://img.shields.io/badge/-rc-mediumorchid) |
| [`db.response.returned_rows`](/docs/attributes-registry/db.md) | int | Number of rows returned by the operation. | `10`; `30`; `1000` | `Recommended` | ![Experimental](https://img.shields.io/badge/-experimental-blue) |
| [`server.address`](/docs/attributes-registry/server.md) | string | Name of the database host. [11] | `example.com`; `10.1.2.80`; `/tmp/my.sock` | `Recommended` | ![Stable](https://img.shields.io/badge/-stable-lightgreen) |
| [`db.operation.parameter.<key>`](/docs/attributes-registry/db.md) | string | A database operation parameter, with `<key>` being the parameter name, and the attribute value being a string representation of the parameter value. [12] | `someval`; `55` | `Opt-In` | ![Release Candidate](https://img.shields.io/badge/-rc-mediumorchid) |

**[1] `db.namespace`:** `db.namespace` SHOULD be set to the combination of database and schema name following the `{database}.{schema}` pattern.

A connection's currently associated database may change during its lifetime, e.g. from executing `SET search_path TO <schema>`.
If the search path has multiple schemas, the first schema in the search path SHOULD be used.

If instrumentation is unable to capture the connection's currently associated schema on each query
without triggering an additional query to be executed (e.g. `SELECT current_schema()`),
then it is RECOMMENDED to fallback and use the schema provided when the connection was established.

Instrumentation SHOULD document if `db.namespace` reflects the schema provided when the connection was established.

Instrumentation MAY use the user name when the connection was established as a stand-in for the schema name.

Instrumentation SHOULD document if `db.namespace` reflects the user provided when the connection was established.

It is RECOMMENDED to capture the value as provided by the application without attempting to do any case normalization.

**[2] `db.response.status_code`:** PostgreSQL follows SQL standard conventions for [SQLSTATE](https://wikipedia.org/wiki/SQLSTATE). Response codes of "Class 02" or higher SHOULD be considered errors.

**[3] `error.type`:** The `error.type` SHOULD match the `db.response.status_code` returned by the database or the client library, or the canonical name of exception that occurred.
When using canonical exception type name, instrumentation SHOULD do the best effort to report the most relevant type. For example, if the original exception is wrapped into a generic one, the original exception SHOULD be preferred.
Instrumentations SHOULD document how `error.type` is populated.

**[4] `server.port`:** When observed from the client side, and when communicating through an intermediary, `server.port` SHOULD represent the server port behind any intermediaries, for example proxies, if it's available.

**[5] `server.port`:** If using a port other than the default port for this DBMS and if `server.address` is set.

**[6] `db.operation.batch.size`:** Operations are only considered batches when they contain two or more operations, and so `db.operation.batch.size` SHOULD never be `1`.

**[7] `db.query.summary`:** `db.query.summary` provides static summary of the query text. It describes a class of database queries and is useful as a grouping key, especially when analyzing telemetry for database calls involving complex queries.
Summary may be available to the instrumentation through instrumentation hooks or other means. If it is not available, instrumentations that support query parsing SHOULD generate a summary following [Generating query summary](../database/database-spans.md#generating-a-summary-of-the-query-text) section.

**[8] `db.query.summary`:** if readily available or if instrumentation supports query summarization.

**[9] `db.query.text`:** For sanitization see [Sanitization of `db.query.text`](../database/database-spans.md#sanitization-of-dbquerytext).
For batch operations, if the individual operations are known to have the same query text then that query text SHOULD be used, otherwise all of the individual query texts SHOULD be concatenated with separator `; ` or some other database system specific separator if more applicable.
Even though parameterized query text can potentially have sensitive data, by using a parameterized query the user is giving a strong signal that any sensitive data will be passed as parameter values, and the benefit to observability of capturing the static part of the query text by default outweighs the risk.

**[10] `db.query.text`:** Non-parameterized query text SHOULD NOT be collected by default unless there is sanitization that excludes sensitive data, e.g. by redacting all literal values present in the query text. See [Sanitization of `db.query.text`](../database/database-spans.md#sanitization-of-dbquerytext).
Parameterized query text SHOULD be collected by default (the query parameter values themselves are opt-in, see [`db.operation.parameter.<key>`](../attributes-registry/db.md)).

**[11] `server.address`:** When observed from the client side, and when communicating through an intermediary, `server.address` SHOULD represent the server address behind any intermediaries, for example proxies, if it's available.

**[12] `db.operation.parameter`:** If a parameter has no name and instead is referenced only by index, then `<key>` SHOULD be the 0-based index.
If `db.query.text` is also captured, then `db.operation.parameter.<key>` SHOULD match up with the parameterized placeholders present in `db.query.text`.

The following attributes can be important for making sampling decisions
and SHOULD be provided **at span creation time** (if provided at all):

* [`db.namespace`](/docs/attributes-registry/db.md)
* [`db.query.summary`](/docs/attributes-registry/db.md)
* [`db.query.text`](/docs/attributes-registry/db.md)
* [`server.address`](/docs/attributes-registry/server.md)
* [`server.port`](/docs/attributes-registry/server.md)

---

`error.type` has the following list of well-known values. If one of them applies, then the respective value MUST be used; otherwise, a custom value MAY be used.

| Value  | Description | Stability |
|---|---|---|
| `_OTHER` | A fallback error value to be used when the instrumentation doesn't define a custom value. | ![Stable](https://img.shields.io/badge/-stable-lightgreen) |

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## Metrics

PostgreSQL client instrumentations SHOULD collect metrics according to the general
[Semantic Conventions for Database Client Metrics](database-metrics.md).

`db.system` MUST be set to `"postgresql"`.

[DocumentStatus]: https://opentelemetry.io/docs/specs/otel/document-status
