---
layout: integration
title: postgres.js with managed PostgreSQL
description: Query an Appwrite native PostgreSQL database from Node.js with the postgres.js driver
date: 2026-11-06
featured: false
isPartner: false
isNew: true
cover: /images/integrations/sql-postgres-js/cover.avif
category: databases
product:
    vendor: postgres.js
    description: 'postgres.js, published as the postgres package, is an open-source PostgreSQL client for Node.js built around tagged template queries.'
platform:
    - 'Cloud'
---

[postgres.js](https://github.com/porsager/postgres), published on npm as `postgres`, is an open-source PostgreSQL client for Node.js. You write queries as tagged template literals, and the library turns interpolated values into safe parameters and manages a connection pool for you.

# How does the integration work?

An Appwrite native PostgreSQL database is a standard PostgreSQL engine that Appwrite provisions in your project's region, with its own hostname, credentials, and TLS. postgres.js connects to it like any other PostgreSQL server, with no Appwrite-specific adapter, and Drizzle ORM can use it as its PostgreSQL driver.

Long-running servers can connect to the engine directly on port `5432`. Serverless functions should connect through the database's connection pooler on port `6432`, with prepared statements turned off.

**Available on Appwrite Cloud**

Native PostgreSQL databases run in every Appwrite Cloud region and are available on paid plans.

# How to implement

To query an Appwrite native PostgreSQL database with postgres.js, there are several steps you must complete:

## Step 1: Create a native PostgreSQL database

[Create an account on Appwrite Cloud](/sign-up) if you haven't already. In your project, go to **Databases**, click **Create database**, and select **PostgreSQL** from the **Native databases** group. Pick a specification and click **Create database**. The database becomes `ready` within a few minutes.

Open the database and click **Credentials**. The **Details** tab shows the host, port, user, password, and database name. The primary user is `admin`. Keep the password in an environment variable and never commit it.

## Step 2: Create the client

Install the driver with `npm install postgres`, then create the client once at module scope:

```js
import postgres from 'postgres';

const sql = postgres({
    host: 'db-<hash>.<region>.appwrite.center',
    port: 5432,
    username: 'admin',
    password: process.env.DB_PASSWORD,
    database: '<database>',
    ssl: 'verify-full',
    max: 10,
    idle_timeout: 30,
    connect_timeout: 10
});
```

`ssl: 'verify-full'` enables TLS and verifies the server certificate against the system CA store. If your runtime image has no trust store, such as a distroless image, pass `ssl: { rejectUnauthorized: true, ca: fs.readFileSync('./ca-bundle.crt') }` with a public CA bundle instead.

## Step 3: Use the pooler from serverless runtimes

postgres.js uses prepared statements by default, and the pooler's transaction mode does not support them. When you connect through the pooler, set `prepare: false`:

```js
const sql = postgres({
    host: 'db-<hash>.<region>.appwrite.center',
    port: 6432,
    username: 'admin',
    password: process.env.DB_PASSWORD,
    database: '<database>',
    ssl: 'verify-full',
    prepare: false,
    max: 1
});
```

Keep `max` at `1` or `2` per serverless instance, because one invocation rarely needs more than one connection. Leave `prepare` at its default on the direct port or with the pooler in session mode, and run migrations on port `5432`.

## Step 4: Test the connection

Run a query to confirm the client can reach the database:

```js
const [row] = await sql`SELECT now() AS time`;
console.log(row.time);
```

If you see `prepared statement "..." does not exist`, you are on the pooler port with prepared statements on, so set `prepare: false`. If the connection times out, check the database's IP allowlist and raise `connect_timeout`.

# Read more about postgres.js and Appwrite Databases

If you would like to learn more about postgres.js and Appwrite Databases, we have some resources that you should visit:

- [Node.js drivers for native PostgreSQL databases](/docs/products/databases/postgresql/integrations/drivers)
- [Connect to a native PostgreSQL database](/docs/products/databases/postgresql/connections)
- [PostgreSQL connection pooling](/docs/products/databases/postgresql/connection-pooling)
- [Managed PostgreSQL on Appwrite](/docs/products/databases/postgresql)
- [postgres.js on GitHub](https://github.com/porsager/postgres)