Understanding PostgreSQL Functions

PostgreSQL offers a myriad of functions that are essential for data analysis, manipulation, and processing. This guide will provide you with a comprehensive list of PostgreSQL built-in functions, complete with brief descriptions, code snippets, and Timescale custom SQL queries that will take your data analysis to another level.

• Aggregate Functions

• Date and Time Functions

• String Functions

• Mathematical Functions

• Window Functions

More on specific PostgreSQL functions:

• string_agg

• extract()

• percentile_cont() and percentile_disc()

• rank() and dense_rank()

Use Timescale Functions for Hyper Speed and Ease 

Now that you’ve learned the basics of PostgreSQL functions, it’s time for a better alternative. Hyperfunctions are a series of SQL functions within TimescaleDB that make it easier to manipulate and analyze time-series data in PostgreSQL with fewer lines of code. 

You can use hyperfunctions to calculate percentile approximations of data, compute time-weighted averages, downsample and smooth data, and perform faster COUNT DISTINCT queries using approximations. Moreover, hyperfunctions are simple to use: you call a hyperfunction using the same SQL syntax you know and love. 

Learn more about hyperfunctions on our Docs page.