# PostgreSQL extensions

This page is about [PostgreSQL extensions](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/external-extensions.html) and explains how to use them with Prisma ORM.

## [What are PostgreSQL extensions?](#what-are-postgresql-extensions)

PostgreSQL allows you to extend your database functionality by installing and activating packages known as _extensions_. For example, the `citext` extension adds a case-insensitive string data type. Some extensions, such as `citext`, are supplied directly by PostgreSQL, while other extensions are developed externally. For more information on extensions, see [the PostgreSQL documentation](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/sql-createextension.html).

To use an extension, it must first be _installed_ on the local file system of your database server. You then need to _activate_ the extension, which runs a script file that adds the new functionality.

## [Using a PostgreSQL extension with Prisma ORM](#using-a-postgresql-extension-with-prisma-orm)

The following example installs the `citext` extension.

### [1. Create an empty migration](#1-create-an-empty-migration)

Run the following command to create an empty migration that you can [customize](/guides/prisma-migrate-v7-workflows-customizing-migrations):

:::code-group
```title="bun"
bunx prisma migrate dev --create-only
```

```bash title="pnpm"
pnpm prisma migrate dev --create-only
```

```bash title="yarn"
yarn prisma migrate dev --create-only
```

```bash title="npm"
npx prisma migrate dev --create-only
```
:::

### [2. Add a SQL statement to install the extension](#2-add-a-sql-statement-to-install-the-extension)

In the new migration file that was created in the `migrations` directory, add the following statement:

```
CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS citext;
```

### [3. Deploy the migration](#3-deploy-the-migration)

Run the following command to deploy the migration and apply to your database:

:::code-group
```title="bun"
bunx prisma migrate deploy
```

```bash title="pnpm"
pnpm prisma migrate deploy
```

```bash title="yarn"
yarn prisma migrate deploy
```

```bash title="npm"
npx prisma migrate deploy
```
:::

### [4. Use the extension](#4-use-the-extension)

You can now use the extension in your queries with Prisma Client. If the extension has special data types that currently can't be natively represented in the Prisma schema, you can still define fields of that type on your models using the [`Unsupported`](/guides/prisma-schema-v7-data-model-models#unsupported-types) fallback type.

## Related pages

- [Authentication & Tools](./authentication-tools-index.md)
- [Build](./build-index.md)
- [Changelog](../changelog.md)
- [Concepts](./concepts-index.md)
- [Console commands](./console-commands-index.md)
- [Contract Authoring](./contract-authoring-index.md)
- [Core Concepts](./core-concepts-index.md)
- [Data Modeling](./data-modeling-index.md)
- [Database](./database-index.md)
- [DB commands](./db-commands-index.md)

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