Get started with the PostgreSQL integrations

PostgreSQL is a mature, open-source object-relational database with a strong reputation for reliability, feature richness, and performance. The Aspire PostgreSQL integration lets you model a PostgreSQL server and its databases as first-class resources in your AppHost, then hand the connection information to any consuming app — regardless of language.

Why use PostgreSQL with Aspire

Adding PostgreSQL through Aspire — rather than wiring up containers and connection strings by hand — gives you:

• Zero-config local development. Aspire runs PostgreSQL from the docker.io/library/postgres container image with credentials generated automatically for you.
• Consistent connection info across languages. Once you reference the database from a consuming app, Aspire injects connection properties as environment variables in a predictable format that works from C#, TypeScript, Python, Go, or any other language.
• Built-in health checks. The hosting integration automatically registers a health check so the dashboard and your orchestrator can tell when the server is ready.
• Dashboard observability. The database resource shows up in the Aspire dashboard with logs, status, and telemetry alongside your other services.
• A first-class C# client integration. C# apps can use the Aspire.Npgsql package for dependency injection, health checks, and OpenTelemetry, all wired up from the same resource name.
• An upgrade path to managed Azure. The same AppHost model extends to Azure Database for PostgreSQL when you’re ready to deploy.

How the pieces fit together

The PostgreSQL integration has two sides: a hosting integration that you use in your AppHost to model the database resource, and a connection story for consuming apps that reference it.

architecture-beta

  group apphost(server)[AppHost]
  group consumer(server)[Consuming app]

  service hosting(server)[Hosting integration] in apphost
  service postgres(logos:postgresql)[PostgreSQL server] in apphost
  service db(database)[postgresdb] in apphost

  service client(iconoir:server-connection)[Client integration] in consumer
  service app(server)[App] in consumer

  hosting:R --> L:postgres
  postgres:R --> L:db
  db:R --> L:client
  client:R --> L:app

The hosting integration lives in your AppHost project and models the PostgreSQL server and databases as resources. The client integration lives in each consuming app and uses the connection information Aspire injects to talk to the database.

Getting there is a two-step process: model the PostgreSQL resources in your AppHost, then connect to the database from each app that needs it.

1. Model PostgreSQL in your AppHost

   Add the PostgreSQL hosting integration to your AppHost, then declare a PostgreSQL server, one or more databases, and reference them from the apps that need to talk to the database. The PostgreSQL Hosting integration reference walks through every capability — adding databases, pgAdmin, pgWeb, data volumes, init scripts, custom parameters, and more — with side-by-side C# and TypeScript examples.

   Set up PostgreSQL in the AppHost

2. Connect from your consuming app

   When you reference a PostgreSQL database from a consuming app, Aspire injects its connection information as environment variables. See Connect to PostgreSQL for the connection properties reference and per-language examples for C#, Go, Python, and TypeScript — including the full C# client integration.

   Connect to PostgreSQL

See also

• PostgreSQL community extensions