> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.condense.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# PostgreSQL (Input, Store)

**Connector Type:** Input Connector

**Description**

Captures processed data from PostgreSQL into Condense for analytics, modeling, and dashboarding.

**Brief Description**

The **PostgreSQL Input Connector** enables Condense to ingest structured data from a PostgreSQL database into the Condense platform for analytics, modeling, and dashboarding.

PostgreSQL is a widely used open-source relational database known for reliability, extensibility, and strong SQL compliance. This connector allows Condense to connect to a PostgreSQL instance, read data from a specified table, and publish the records into Kafka-native Condense topics for downstream stream processing.

This connector is designed for **pull-based ingestion** of relational data where PostgreSQL acts as the system of record and Condense serves as the streaming and analytics layer.

**Links to Relevant Documents**

* [https://www.postgresql.org/docs/](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/)
* [https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/auth-methods.html](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/auth-methods.html)
* [https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/sql.html](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/sql.html)

**Connector Overview**

| **Feature**        | **Description**                |
| :----------------- | :----------------------------- |
| Connector Type     | Input                          |
| Connector Category | Store                          |
| Source System      | PostgreSQL                     |
| Integration Model  | Table-based polling            |
| Data Format        | Structured rows mapped to JSON |
| Authentication     | Username / Password            |
| Delivery Semantics | At-least-once                  |
| Managed By         | Condense                       |

**Core Functionality**

* Connects to a PostgreSQL database using standard TCP connectivity.
* Reads data from a specified database table.
* Converts relational rows into structured JSON records.
* Publishes ingested records into a Condense Kafka topic.
* Enables downstream processing, transformations, and analytics.

**How It Works in Condense**

1. **Database Connection** – The connector establishes a connection to the PostgreSQL server using the provided hostname, port, and credentials.
2. **Table Access** – The configured table name is used as the source for data ingestion.
3. **Data Retrieval** – Rows from the table are read and mapped into structured JSON messages.
4. **Publishing to Condense Topic** – Each record is published to the configured Condense output topic for further processing.

**Configuration**

| **Category**   | **Field Name**      | **Description**                                          | **Required** |
| :------------- | :------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------- | :----------: |
| General        | Title               | A user-defined name to identify the PostgreSQL connector |      Yes     |
| Connection     | PostgreSQL Hostname | Hostname or IP address of the PostgreSQL server          |      Yes     |
| Connection     | PostgreSQL Port     | Port on which PostgreSQL is listening                    |      Yes     |
| Authentication | Database Username   | Username used to authenticate with PostgreSQL            |      Yes     |
| Authentication | Database Password   | Password associated with the database user               |      Yes     |
| Database       | Database Name       | Name of the PostgreSQL database                          |      Yes     |
| Database       | Table Name          | Name of the table to ingest                              |      Yes     |
| Condense       | Output Topic        | Condense Kafka topic where records will be published     |      Yes     |

**Field-by-Field Explanation**

**1. Title**

* **Description:** A user-defined name to identify the PostgreSQL Input Connector.
* **Example:** `Postgres_Input_Connector_Prod`

***

**2. PostgreSQL Hostname**

* **Description:** Hostname or IP address of the PostgreSQL server.
* **Example:** `postgres-db.internal.company.com`

***

**3. PostgreSQL Port**

* **Description:** Port on which the PostgreSQL server is listening.
* **Default:** `5432`
* **Example:** `5432`

***

**4. Database Username**

* **Description:** Username used to authenticate with the PostgreSQL database.
* **Example:** `condense_reader`

***

**5. Database Password**

* **Description:** Password associated with the PostgreSQL database user.
* **Example:** `********`

***

**6. Database Name**

* **Description:** Name of the PostgreSQL database from which data will be read.
* **Example:** `analytics_db`

***

**7. Table Name**

* **Description:** Name of the table to be ingested into Condense.
* **Example:** `users`, `orders`, `transactions`

***

**8. Output Topic**

* **Description:** The Condense Kafka topic where ingested PostgreSQL records will be published.
* **Example:** `postgres_input_stream`

**Sample Configuration Example**

```json theme={null}
{
  "title": "Postgres_Input_Connector_Prod",
  "postgresHost": "postgres-db.internal.company.com",
  "postgresPort": 5432,
  "databaseUsername": "condense_reader",
  "databasePassword": "********",
  "databaseName": "analytics_db",
  "tableName": "users",
  "outputTopic": "postgres_input_stream"
}
```

**Example Message Structure**

Each row from PostgreSQL is published as a JSON message to the output topic.

```json theme={null}
{
  "table": "users",
  "database": "analytics_db",
  "payload": {
    "id": 1021,
    "email": "user@example.com",
    "status": "active",
    "created_at": "2025-10-30T09:12:45Z"
  },
  "metadata": {
    "source": "postgresql",
    "ingested_at": "2025-10-30T09:13:02Z"
  }
}
```

**Troubleshooting and Common Issues**

**Connection Failed**

* Verify the hostname and port.
* Ensure PostgreSQL allows inbound connections from Condense.

**Authentication Error**

* Confirm the username and password.
* Ensure the database user has read access to the specified table.

**No Data Published**

* Verify the table exists.
* Ensure the output topic is configured and active in Condense.

**Permission Denied**

* Ensure the database user has `SELECT` privileges on the configured table.

**Advanced Topics**

**1. Large Tables**

* Large tables may generate high event volumes. Configure downstream topics to handle the expected throughput.

**2. Data Type Mapping**

* PostgreSQL column types are serialized into equivalent JSON values.

**3. NULL Value Handling**

* NULL values are preserved in the output JSON payload.

**Best Practices**

1. Use dedicated read-only database users for ingestion.
2. Use separate output topics for different tables or business domains.
3. Apply downstream transforms for filtering or enrichment.
4. Use descriptive connector names for easier management.
5. Monitor connector health and topic throughput through Condense observability.