52.35. pg_opfamily

The catalog pg_opfamily defines operator families. Each operator family is a collection of operators and associated support routines that implement the semantics specified for a particular index access method. Furthermore, the operators in a family are all compatible, in a way that is specified by the access method. The operator family concept allows cross-data-type operators to be used with indexes and to be reasoned about using knowledge of access method semantics.

Operator families are described at length in Section 38.15.

Table 52.35. pg_opfamily Columns

NameTypeReferencesDescription
oidoid Row identifier (hidden attribute; must be explicitly selected)
opfmethodoidpg_am.oidIndex access method operator family is for
opfnamename Name of this operator family
opfnamespaceoidpg_namespace.oidNamespace of this operator family
opfowneroidpg_authid.oidOwner of the operator family

The majority of the information defining an operator family is not in its pg_opfamily row, but in the associated rows in pg_amop, pg_amproc, and pg_opclass.