Extensions
PostGIS
Spatial and Geographic Objects for PostgreSQL
The PostGIS
extension adds support for geographic objects to PostgreSQL, allowing you to store, query, and manipulate spatial data. It effectively turns PostgreSQL into a spatial database.
Your Nile database arrives with the PostGIS
extension already enabled.
Quick Start
Let’s walk through some common PostGIS operations using a simple example of storing and querying location data.
Creating a Spatial Table
Inserting Data
Basic Spatial Queries
Find all points within 5km of a location:
Calculate distance between two points:
Working with Areas
Create and query polygons:
Common Operations
Coordinate Transformations
Convert between coordinate systems:
Distance Calculations
Spatial Relationships
Geometry Creation
Best Practices
-
Indexing:
- Always create spatial indexes (GiST) on geometry columns
- Use appropriate coordinate systems for your use case
-
Performance:
- Use ST_DWithin instead of ST_Distance for radius searches
- Cast to geography type for accurate earth-distance calculations
- Consider clustering on spatial indexes for large datasets
-
Data Quality:
- Validate geometries using ST_IsValid
- Use appropriate SRID for your data
- Clean up invalid geometries using ST_MakeValid
Common Use Cases
- Location-based services
- Geofencing
- Territory management
- Asset tracking
- Spatial analysis
- Map visualization
- Route planning
- Environmental analysis