CREATE_ACCESS_METHOD(7)

CREATE ACCESS METHOD 💅

okay bestie, so this is the PostgreSQL 18.6 manual page for CREATE ACCESS METHOD, living in section 7 of the docs. it's giving "I'm building a whole new way to access data" and honestly? iconic. let's get into it 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

CREATE_ACCESS_METHOD — bestie, this is how you define a brand new access method. like, from scratch. main character energy fr fr 👑

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

CREATE ACCESS METHOD name
    TYPE access_method_type
    HANDLER handler_function

that's the whole vibe. three little pieces and you're off 🦋

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

CREATE ACCESS METHOD creates a new access method. that's it, that's the whole thing, no cap 💅

the access method name has to be unique within the database — no two methods can share a name, periodt. it's giving "one of one, and I'm not sharing the spotlight" ✨

🚨 superuser check!! only superusers can define new access methods. if you're not one, this is not your moment, and the database will absolutely let you know 😭

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🎀 PARAMETERS 🎀

• name — the name of the access method you're creating. pick something cute, it's yours now 🍓
• access_method_type — this clause says what type of access method you're defining. and bestie, at present only TABLE and INDEX are supported. that's the whole guest list, nobody else is getting in 🙈
• handler_function — handler_function is the name (possibly schema-qualified, so you can point at it from anywhere) of a previously registered function that represents the access method. think of it as the little gremlin behind the curtain doing the actual work 🧚

here's the rules, and they are strict:

• it must be declared to take a single argument of type internal
• its return type depends on the type of access method:
  • for TABLE access methods, it must be table_am_handler
  • for INDEX access methods, it must be index_am_handler
• the C-level API that the handler function must implement varies depending on the type of access method

and if you want the full tea: the table access method API is described in Chapter 62, and the index access method API is described in Chapter 63. go read those, they're the lore 📚

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🌈 EXAMPLES 🌈

create an index access method called heptree with handler function heptree_handler:

CREATE ACCESS METHOD heptree TYPE INDEX HANDLER heptree_handler;

ate. no crumbs. 🔥

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💜 COMPATIBILITY 💜

CREATE ACCESS METHOD is a PostgreSQL extension — so ngl, this one's a PostgreSQL original, not a SQL standard situation. iykyk 💫

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⭐ SEE ALSO ⭐

• DROP ACCESS METHOD (DROP_ACCESS_METHOD(7)) — for when it's time to say bye 👋
• CREATE OPERATOR CLASS (CREATE_OPERATOR_CLASS(7))
• CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY (CREATE_OPERATOR_FAMILY(7))

go forth and read them all, bestie, they're all connected 🫶

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and that's the page!! this was written against PostgreSQL 18.6, dated 2026, and it's literally the CREATE ACCESS METHOD(7) page. slay, stay hydrated, and don't forget to be a superuser first 💖✨🎀