Quickstart

Install pg_redis with Docker or as Postgres extensions, then talk Redis on :6379.

pg_redis makes PostgreSQL speak Redis. Pick an install path, then point any Redis client at the RESP port — the gateway runs inside Postgres.

Install

Fastest path: a Postgres image with pg_cron, pg_redis, and the in-process RESP gateway already wired.

docker run --rm -d \
  --name pg_redis \
  -p 6379:6379 \
  -p 5432:5432 \
  -e POSTGRES_USER=redis \
  -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=redis \
  -e POSTGRES_DB=pg_redis \
  asamsig/pg_redis:16

Host port	Inside the container	What
6379	`6379`	Redis protocol (RESP)
5432	`5432`	PostgreSQL

Map whatever host ports you want — for example -p 5762:6379 if 6379 is taken, then use redis-cli -p 5762.

Stop / remove:

docker stop pg_redis

Install into an existing PostgreSQL 16 cluster when you already run Postgres and only want the Redis-facing bits.

1. Dependencies

pg_redis needs pg_cron for active TTL expiry (lazy expiry still works without it, but expired keys won’t be swept in the background).

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y postgresql-16-cron

Install pg_cron for your Postgres major so CREATE EXTENSION pg_cron works, then continue below.

2. Install the pg_redis packages

Grab the release artifacts for your Postgres major (control / SQL / .so) from GitHub Releases and install them into the cluster’s extension dirs:

# Example layout after unpacking a pg16 package
PG_SHARE="$(pg_config --sharedir)"
PG_LIB="$(pg_config --pkglibdir)"

sudo cp -a extension/. "$PG_SHARE/extension/"
sudo cp -a lib/.       "$PG_LIB/"

You need both:

Extension	Role
`pg_redis`	Storage API — schema `redis`
`pg_redis_gw_host`	In-process RESP BGWorker

3. Configure Postgres

Add to postgresql.conf (or use ALTER SYSTEM), then restart the server:

shared_preload_libraries = 'pg_cron,pg_redis_gw_host'

# pg_cron must target the database where you’ll create the extensions
cron.database_name = 'pg_redis'

# Gateway host
redis_gateway.database = 'pg_redis'
redis_gateway.setup_configuration_file = '/etc/pg_redis/SetupConfiguration.json'

Drop a config file at that path (see the repo example):

{
  "GatewayListenPort": 6379,
  "UseLocalHost": false,
  "PostgresHostName": "127.0.0.1",
  "PostgresPort": 5432,
  "PostgresDatabase": "pg_redis",
  "PostgresSystemUser": "redis",
  "PostgresPassword": "redis",
  "RequirePostgres": true,
  "StorageMode": "unlogged"
}

GatewayListenPort is the RESP port clients use (default 6379). Tune storage with StorageMode — see Storage modes. Full env/JSON map: Configuration.

4. Create the extensions

-- Connect to the database named in cron.database_name
CREATE EXTENSION pg_cron;
CREATE EXTENSION pg_redis;
CREATE EXTENSION pg_redis_gw_host;

After create, the BGWorker listens on GatewayListenPort.

Talk Redis

With the gateway up, use any Redis client against the RESP port:

redis-cli -p 6379 PING
# PONG

redis-cli -p 6379 SET session:1 '{"user":"ada"}'
redis-cli -p 6379 GET session:1
# {"user":"ada"}

redis-cli -p 6379 EXPIRE session:1 60
redis-cli -p 6379 TTL session:1

If you published RESP on another host port (for example -p 5762:6379):

redis-cli -p 5762 PING

Point your app at it

Same URL shape as Redis:

REDIS_URL=redis://127.0.0.1:6379

Works with ioredis, redis-py, go-redis, StackExchange.Redis, and anything else that speaks RESP. See Commands for the current surface.

Peek at SQL storage

The same keys live in schema redis (Postgres reserves pg_* schema names):

# Docker install
docker exec -it pg_redis \
  psql -U redis -d pg_redis -c "SELECT * FROM redis.strings;"

# Extension install (local psql)
psql -U redis -d pg_redis -c "SELECT * FROM redis.strings;"

Values are bytea (shown hex-encoded in psql).

Next steps

Commands

What Redis commands are available today.

Storage modes

Unlogged, logged, or memory durability.

Configuration

Ports, auth, storage mode, and GUCs.

Contributing

Building from source, tests, and adding commands.