xata_id PostgreSQL Extension#

A PostgreSQL extension written in Rust using pgrx to generate Xata-style unique identifiers (xata_id) in the format rec_<20_random_chars>. The IDs consist of a rec_ prefix followed by a 20-character random string using the alphabet a-z0-9, mimicking Xata's ID format (e.g., rec_cug4h6ibhfbm7uq5dte0).

Features#

• Generates 24-character unique IDs with a rec_ prefix and 20 random characters (a-z0-9).
• Safe integration with PostgreSQL via pgrx for robust memory management.
• Comprehensive unit and integration tests to verify ID format, length, and uniqueness.
• Lightweight and performant, suitable for use as a primary key default value.

Requirements#

• PostgreSQL 13–18
• Rust and cargo-pgrx (version 0.15)
• A compatible operating system (Linux, macOS, or Windows with WSL)

Installation#

1. Install Dependencies

Install Rust and pgrx:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
cargo install cargo-pgrx
cargo pgrx init

2. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/tsirysndr/xata_id_extension
cd xata_id_extension

3. Build the Extension

Compile the extension for your PostgreSQL version (e.g., PostgreSQL 16):

cargo pgrx package

4. Install the Extension

Install the extension to your PostgreSQL instance:

cargo pgrx install

5. Enable the Extension in PostgreSQL

Connect to your PostgreSQL database and run:

psql -d your_database_name

Then, enable the extension:

CREATE EXTENSION xata_id_extension;

Usage#

The extension provides a xata_id() function that generates a unique ID. Use it as the default value for a primary key in a table:

Create a Table

CREATE TABLE users (
    id TEXT PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT xata_id(),
    username VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    email VARCHAR(255) UNIQUE,
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

Insert Data

Insert rows, and the id column will automatically use xata_id():

INSERT INTO users (username, email) VALUES ('alice', 'alice@example.com');
INSERT INTO users (username, email) VALUES ('bob', 'bob@example.com');
SELECT * FROM users;

Example Output

 id                       | username | email             | created_at
--------------------------+----------+-------------------+------------------------
 rec_cug4h6ibhfbm7uq5dte0 | alice    | alice@example.com | 2025-07-25 12:00:00
 rec_4h6ibhfbm7uq5dte0cug | bob      | bob@example.com   | 2025-07-25 12:01:00

License#

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.