extension not available 🐘 PostgreSQL

ERROR: could not open extension control file ".../postgis.control": No such file or directory

CREATE EXTENSION failed because the extension’s files aren’t installed on the server.

Seen on: PostgreSQL

Meaning

Extensions like postgis, pgvector or timescaledb need OS packages (or a Docker image that includes them). Managed services only support a listed set.

Common causes

  • Extension package not installed for this PostgreSQL version
  • Plain postgres Docker image without the extension
  • Managed service doesn’t support it

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Install the package (apt install postgresql-16-postgis-3 / postgresql-16-pgvector)
  2. Use an image with the extension (postgis/postgis, pgvector/pgvector)
  3. Check the provider’s supported extensions

Detailed fix by platform

Docker

  1. image: pgvector/pgvector:pg16

How to diagnose

  1. Package — Installed for this major version?
  2. Recent change — Did it start after a deploy, upgrade, or configuration change? Compare with the last working version.

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