How to run Postgres Exporter with Docker for local testing?

Use the Docker image prometheuscommunity/postgres-exporter with environment variables like DATA_SOURCE_URI and DATA_SOURCE_PASS, as shown in the quick start. Mount password files for better security, and expose port 9187 for metrics scraping.

Postgres Exporter vs pg_stat_statements: which is better for query monitoring?

Postgres Exporter can include pg_stat_statements metrics if enabled via flags, providing integrated Prometheus exposure. However, pg_stat_statements is a PostgreSQL extension itself; the exporter adds convenience by bundling it with other metrics but requires proper setup and may have limits like query length defaults.

How do I add custom metrics to Postgres Exporter?

Define custom SQL queries in a YAML file following the examples in queries.yaml and specify the path with --extend.query-path. Note that this feature is deprecated in favor of built-in collectors, so future versions might change or remove it.

Does Postgres Exporter support PostgreSQL 12 or older databases?

Yes, it supports older versions, but for non-superuser operation on PostgreSQL <10, you must manually create security barrier functions and views, as detailed in the README. CI testing is done for versions 13+, so older versions might have untested edge cases.

How to secure database passwords in Postgres Exporter?

Use file-based secrets by setting DATA_SOURCE_PASS_FILE instead of environment variables, and configure the exporter to run with limited privileges. The README recommends this to avoid exposing credentials in process listings or logs.

What metrics does Postgres Exporter collect by default?

It collects metrics from enabled collectors like stat_database, stat_user_tables, and replication by default, covering database activity, table statistics, and replication status. You can disable collectors via flags to reduce overhead or focus on specific areas.

postgres_exporter — PostgreSQL Metrics Exporter for Prometheus

Q: How to secure database passwords in Postgres Exporter?

Use file-based secrets by setting DATA_SOURCE_PASS_FILE instead of environment variables, and configure the exporter to run with limited privileges. The README recommends this to avoid exposing credentials in process listings or logs.

Q: What metrics does Postgres Exporter collect by default?

It collects metrics from enabled collectors like stat_database, stat_user_tables, and replication by default, covering database activity, table statistics, and replication status. You can disable collectors via flags to reduce overhead or focus on specific areas.

What is postgres_exporter?

Postgres Exporter is a Prometheus exporter for PostgreSQL databases that collects performance and health metrics from PostgreSQL instances and exposes them in a Prometheus-compatible format. It enables comprehensive monitoring of PostgreSQL databases by gathering metrics from system views like pg_stat_*, covering databases, tables, indexes, replication, locks, and background writer activity. The project follows the Prometheus exporter pattern with a focus on reliability, configurability, and seamless integration into existing monitoring stacks.

Target Audience

DevOps engineers, SREs, and database administrators who need to monitor PostgreSQL instances within a Prometheus-based observability stack. It's particularly useful for teams managing multiple PostgreSQL servers, including SaaS or managed service environments.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Postgres Exporter because it provides comprehensive, production-ready PostgreSQL metrics out of the box while offering flexible configuration options like customizable collectors and multi-target support. Its ability to run with non-superuser privileges (using the pg_monitor role) and support for custom SQL queries via YAML configuration make it both secure and extensible for diverse monitoring needs.

A PostgreSQL metric exporter for Prometheus

Use Cases

Best For

Monitoring PostgreSQL database performance metrics like query statistics, table/index usage, and replication status in Prometheus
Setting up centralized monitoring for multiple PostgreSQL servers using the multi-target /probe endpoint (beta feature)
Collecting custom PostgreSQL metrics through SQL queries defined in YAML configuration files
Securely monitoring PostgreSQL instances with non-superuser database accounts using limited privileges
Integrating PostgreSQL monitoring into existing Prometheus/Grafana observability stacks
Monitoring PostgreSQL replication, locks, and long-running transactions for production database troubleshooting

Not Ideal For

Production environments requiring stable, non-beta multi-server monitoring without future breaking changes
Teams that cannot modify database user permissions to grant pg_monitor or create custom functions for older PostgreSQL versions
Projects not using Prometheus or preferring alternative monitoring systems like InfluxDB or Datadog
Simple setups needing only basic metrics without the overhead of configuring numerous collectors and custom queries

Pros & Cons

Pros

Comprehensive Metric Collection

Gathers extensive metrics from PostgreSQL's pg_stat_* system views, covering databases, tables, indexes, replication, and locks out of the box, as highlighted in the key features for detailed performance monitoring.

Flexible Configuration Options

Allows enabling or disabling specific collectors via command-line flags and supports custom SQL queries through a YAML configuration file, enabling tailored monitoring setups without code changes.

Security-Focused Operation

Can run with a non-superuser database account using the pg_monitor role and supports file-based secrets for credentials, reducing security risks in production environments.

Multi-Target Scraping

Offers a beta /probe endpoint for scraping multiple PostgreSQL servers from a single exporter instance, ideal for SaaS or managed service monitoring, though it's labeled as beta.

Cons

Beta Multi-Target Support

The multi-target functionality is explicitly marked as beta and may require changes in future releases, making it less stable for critical production deployments that rely on this feature.

Deprecated Features

Several options like auto-discover-databases and extend.query-path are deprecated, indicating potential breaking changes and reduced long-term support, which could disrupt existing setups.

Complex Setup for Older Versions

For PostgreSQL versions older than 10, non-superuser monitoring requires manually creating custom functions and views, adding operational complexity and maintenance overhead.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is postgres_exporter?

Target Audience

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

Monitoring PostgreSQL database performance metrics like query statistics, table/index usage, and replication status in Prometheus
Setting up centralized monitoring for multiple PostgreSQL servers using the multi-target /probe endpoint (beta feature)
Collecting custom PostgreSQL metrics through SQL queries defined in YAML configuration files
Securely monitoring PostgreSQL instances with non-superuser database accounts using limited privileges
Integrating PostgreSQL monitoring into existing Prometheus/Grafana observability stacks
Monitoring PostgreSQL replication, locks, and long-running transactions for production database troubleshooting

Not Ideal For

Production environments requiring stable, non-beta multi-server monitoring without future breaking changes
Teams that cannot modify database user permissions to grant pg_monitor or create custom functions for older PostgreSQL versions
Projects not using Prometheus or preferring alternative monitoring systems like InfluxDB or Datadog
Simple setups needing only basic metrics without the overhead of configuring numerous collectors and custom queries

Pros & Cons

Pros

Comprehensive Metric Collection

Flexible Configuration Options

Allows enabling or disabling specific collectors via command-line flags and supports custom SQL queries through a YAML configuration file, enabling tailored monitoring setups without code changes.

Security-Focused Operation

Can run with a non-superuser database account using the pg_monitor role and supports file-based secrets for credentials, reducing security risks in production environments.

Multi-Target Scraping

Offers a beta /probe endpoint for scraping multiple PostgreSQL servers from a single exporter instance, ideal for SaaS or managed service monitoring, though it's labeled as beta.

Cons

Beta Multi-Target Support

The multi-target functionality is explicitly marked as beta and may require changes in future releases, making it less stable for critical production deployments that rely on this feature.

Deprecated Features

Several options like auto-discover-databases and extend.query-path are deprecated, indicating potential breaking changes and reduced long-term support, which could disrupt existing setups.

Complex Setup for Older Versions

For PostgreSQL versions older than 10, non-superuser monitoring requires manually creating custom functions and views, adding operational complexity and maintenance overhead.

Frequently Asked Questions

postgres_exporter

What is postgres_exporter?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

postgres_exporter

What is postgres_exporter?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?