There is no way to query a database other than the current one.
Because PostgreSQL loads database-specific system catalogs, it is
uncertain how a cross-database query should even behave.
contrib/dblink allows cross-database queries using function calls. Of
course, a client can also make simultaneous connections to different
databases and merge the results on the client side.
EDIT: 3 years later (march 2014), this FAQ entry has been revised and is more helpful:
How do I perform queries using multiple databases?
There is no way to directly query a database other than the current
one. Because PostgreSQL loads database-specific system catalogs, it is
uncertain how a cross-database query should even behave.
The SQL/MED support in PostgreSQL allows a "foreign data wrapper" to
be created, linking tables in a remote database to the local database.
The remote database might be another database on the same PostgreSQL
instance, or a database half way around the world, it doesn't matter.
postgres_fdw is built-in to PostgreSQL 9.3 and includes read/write
support; a read-only version for 9.2 can be compiled and installed as
a contrib module.
contrib/dblink allows cross-database queries using function calls and
is available for much older PostgreSQL versions. Unlike postgres_fdw
it can't "push down" conditions to the remote server, so it'll often
land up fetching a lot more data than you need.
Of course, a client can also make simultaneous connections to
different databases and merge the results on the client side.
You need to use dblink...as araqnid mentioned above, something like this works fine:
select ST.Table_Name, ST.Column_Name, DV.Table_Name, DV.Column_Name, *
from information_schema.Columns ST
full outer join dblink('dbname=otherdatabase','select Table_Name,
Column_Name from information_schema.Columns') DV(Table_Name text,
Column_Name text)
on ST.Table_Name = DV.Table_name
and ST.Column_Name = DV.Column_Name
where ST.Column_Name is null or DV.Column_Name is NULL
Yes, it is possible to do this using dblink albeit with significant performance considerations.
The following example will require the current SQL user to have permissions on both databases. If db2 is not located on the same cluster, then you will need to replace dbname=db2 with the full connection string defined in the dblink documentation.
SELECT *
FROM table1 tb1
LEFT JOIN (
SELECT *
FROM dblink('dbname=db2','SELECT id, code FROM table2')
AS tb2(id int, code text);
) AS tb2 ON tb2.column = tb1.column;
If table2 is very large, you could have performance issues because the sub-query loads up the entire table2 before performing the join.
DbLink extension of PostgreSQL which is used to connect one database to another database.
Install DbLink extension.
CREATE EXTENSION dblink;
Verify DbLink:
SELECT pg_namespace.nspname, pg_proc.proname
FROM pg_proc, pg_namespace
WHERE pg_proc.pronamespace=pg_namespace.oid
AND pg_proc.proname LIKE '%dblink%';
I have already prepared full demonstration on this. Please visit my post to learn step by step for executing cross database query in Postgresql.
Install the postgres_fdw extension using CREATE EXTENSION.
Create a foreign server object, using CREATE SERVER, to represent each remote database you want to connect to. Specify connection
information, except user, and password, as options of the server
object.
Create a user mapping, using CREATE USER MAPPING, for each database user you want to allow to access each foreign server. Specify
the remote user name and password to use as user and password options
of the user mapping.
Create a foreign table, using CREATE FOREIGN TABLE or IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA, for each remote table you want to access. The columns
of the foreign table must match the referenced remote table. You can,
however, use table and/or column names different from the remote
table's, if you specify the correct remote names as options of the
foreign table object.
Now you need only SELECT from a foreign table to access the data
stored in its underlying remote table.
WE HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO DB2 WITH TABLE TBL2 AND COLUMN COL2
ALSO THERE IS DB1 WITH TBL1 AND COLUMN COL1
*** connecting to second db ie db2
Now just **copy paste the 1-7 processes** (make sure u use correct username and password and ofcourse db name)
1.**CREATE EXTENSION dblink;**
2.**SELECT pg_namespace.nspname, pg_proc.proname
FROM pg_proc, pg_namespace
WHERE pg_proc.pronamespace=pg_namespace.oid
AND pg_proc.proname LIKE '%dblink%';**
3.**SELECT dblink_connect('host=localhost user=postgres password=postgres dbname=db1');**
4.**CREATE FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER postgres VALIDATOR postgresql_fdw_validator;**
5.**CREATE SERVER postgres2 FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER postgres OPTIONS (hostaddr '127.0.0.1', dbname 'db1');**
6.**CREATE USER MAPPING FOR postgres SERVER postgres2 OPTIONS (user 'postgres', password 'postgres');**
7.**SELECT dblink_connect('postgres2');**
---Now, you can SELECT the data of Database_One from Database_Two and even join both db results:
**SELECT * FROM public.dblink
('postgres2','SELECT col1,um_name FROM public.tbl1 ')
AS DATA(um_userid INTEGER),tbl2 where DATA.col1=tbl2.col2;**
You can also Check this :[How to join two tables of different databases together in postgresql [\[working finely in version 9.4\]][1]
Cannot be done? Of course we can, without special extensions. In our case, we had to compare two tables from different database servers, e.g. ACC and PROD, hence an even harder case than from most answers. Especially because ACC and PROD are deliberately on different servers to create a barrier, so you will not easily gain enough rights to perform a GRANT USAGE ON FOREIGN SERVER.
The obvious solution is to export both tables, and import both in the same database, e.g. DEV, or your own local db, under appropriate names, e.g. table1_acc and table1_prod, or schemas like acc and prod. Then, you may JOIN those with no special problems.