1<!--
2doc/src/sgml/ref/load.sgml
3PostgreSQL documentation
4-->
5
6<refentry id="SQL-LOAD">
7 <indexterm zone="sql-load">
8  <primary>LOAD</primary>
9 </indexterm>
10
11 <refmeta>
12  <refentrytitle>LOAD</refentrytitle>
13  <manvolnum>7</manvolnum>
14  <refmiscinfo>SQL - Language Statements</refmiscinfo>
15 </refmeta>
16
17 <refnamediv>
18  <refname>LOAD</refname>
19  <refpurpose>load a shared library file</refpurpose>
20 </refnamediv>
21
22 <refsynopsisdiv>
23<synopsis>
24LOAD '<replaceable class="PARAMETER">filename</replaceable>'
25</synopsis>
26 </refsynopsisdiv>
27
28 <refsect1 id="sql-load-description">
29  <title>Description</title>
30
31  <para>
32   This command loads a shared library file into the <productname>PostgreSQL</>
33   server's address space.  If the file has been loaded already,
34   the command does nothing.  Shared library files that contain C functions
35   are automatically loaded whenever one of their functions is called.
36   Therefore, an explicit <command>LOAD</> is usually only needed to
37   load a library that modifies the server's behavior through <quote>hooks</>
38   rather than providing a set of functions.
39  </para>
40
41  <para>
42   The library file name is typically given as just a bare file name,
43   which is sought in the server's library search path (set
44   by <xref linkend="guc-dynamic-library-path">).  Alternatively it can be
45   given as a full path name.  In either case the platform's standard shared
46   library file name extension may be omitted.
47   See <xref linkend="xfunc-c-dynload"> for more information on this topic.
48  </para>
49
50  <indexterm>
51   <primary><filename>$libdir/plugins</></primary>
52  </indexterm>
53
54  <para>
55   Non-superusers can only apply <command>LOAD</> to library files
56   located in <filename>$libdir/plugins/</> &mdash; the specified
57   <replaceable class="PARAMETER">filename</replaceable> must begin
58   with exactly that string.  (It is the database administrator's
59   responsibility to ensure that only <quote>safe</> libraries
60   are installed there.)
61  </para>
62 </refsect1>
63
64 <refsect1 id="sql-load-compat">
65  <title>Compatibility</title>
66
67  <para>
68   <command>LOAD</command> is a <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>
69   extension.
70  </para>
71 </refsect1>
72
73
74 <refsect1>
75  <title>See Also</title>
76
77  <para>
78   <xref linkend="sql-createfunction">
79  </para>
80 </refsect1>
81</refentry>
82