<!--
doc/src/sgml/ref/create_server.sgml
PostgreSQL documentation
-->

<refentry id="sql-createserver">
 <indexterm zone="sql-createserver">
  <primary>CREATE SERVER</primary>
 </indexterm>

 <refmeta>
  <refentrytitle>CREATE SERVER</refentrytitle>
  <manvolnum>7</manvolnum>
  <refmiscinfo>SQL - Language Statements</refmiscinfo>
 </refmeta>

 <refnamediv>
  <refname>CREATE SERVER</refname>
  <refpurpose>define a new foreign server</refpurpose>
 </refnamediv>

 <refsynopsisdiv>
<synopsis>
CREATE SERVER [ IF NOT EXISTS ] <replaceable class="parameter">server_name</replaceable> [ TYPE '<replaceable class="parameter">server_type</replaceable>' ] [ VERSION '<replaceable class="parameter">server_version</replaceable>' ]
    FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER <replaceable class="parameter">fdw_name</replaceable>
    [ OPTIONS ( <replaceable class="parameter">option</replaceable> '<replaceable class="parameter">value</replaceable>' [, ... ] ) ]
</synopsis>
 </refsynopsisdiv>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Description</title>

  <para>
   <command>CREATE SERVER</command> defines a new foreign server.  The
   user who defines the server becomes its owner.
  </para>

  <para>
   A foreign server typically encapsulates connection information that
   a foreign-data wrapper uses to access an external data resource.
   Additional user-specific connection information may be specified by
   means of user mappings.
  </para>

  <para>
   The server name must be unique within the database.
  </para>

  <para>
   Creating a server requires <literal>USAGE</literal> privilege on the
   foreign-data wrapper being used.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Parameters</title>

  <variablelist>
  <varlistentry>
    <term><literal>IF NOT EXISTS</literal></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Do not throw an error if a server with the same name already exists.
      A notice is issued in this case.  Note that there is no guarantee that
      the existing server is anything like the one that would have been
      created.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><replaceable class="parameter">server_name</replaceable></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      The name of the foreign server to be created.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><replaceable class="parameter">server_type</replaceable></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Optional server type, potentially useful to foreign-data wrappers.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><replaceable class="parameter">server_version</replaceable></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Optional server version, potentially useful to foreign-data wrappers.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><replaceable class="parameter">fdw_name</replaceable></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      The name of the foreign-data wrapper that manages the server.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><literal>OPTIONS ( <replaceable class="parameter">option</replaceable> '<replaceable class="parameter">value</replaceable>' [, ... ] )</literal></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      This clause specifies the options for the server.  The options
      typically define the connection details of the server, but the
      actual names and values are dependent on the server's
      foreign-data wrapper.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
  </variablelist>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Notes</title>

  <para>
   When using the <xref linkend="dblink"/> module,
   a foreign server's name can be used
   as an argument of the <xref linkend="contrib-dblink-connect"/>
   function to indicate the connection parameters.  It is necessary to have
   the <literal>USAGE</literal> privilege on the foreign server to be
   able to use it in this way.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Examples</title>

  <para>
   Create a server <literal>myserver</literal> that uses the
   foreign-data wrapper <literal>postgres_fdw</literal>:
<programlisting>
CREATE SERVER myserver FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER postgres_fdw OPTIONS (host 'foo', dbname 'foodb', port '5432');
</programlisting>
   See <xref linkend="postgres-fdw"/> for more details.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Compatibility</title>

  <para>
   <command>CREATE SERVER</command> conforms to ISO/IEC 9075-9 (SQL/MED).
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>See Also</title>

  <simplelist type="inline">
   <member><xref linkend="sql-alterserver"/></member>
   <member><xref linkend="sql-dropserver"/></member>
   <member><xref linkend="sql-createforeigndatawrapper"/></member>
   <member><xref linkend="sql-createforeigntable"/></member>
   <member><xref linkend="sql-createusermapping"/></member>
  </simplelist>
 </refsect1>

</refentry>
