NAME

       CREATE_OPERATOR_FAMILY - define a new operator family

SYNOPSIS

       CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY name USING index_method

DESCRIPTION

       CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY creates a new operator family. An operator family defines a collection of related
       operator classes, and perhaps some additional operators and support functions that are compatible with
       these operator classes but not essential for the functioning of any individual index. (Operators and
       functions that are essential to indexes should be grouped within the relevant operator class, rather than
       being “loose” in the operator family. Typically, single-data-type operators are bound to operator
       classes, while cross-data-type operators can be loose in an operator family containing operator classes
       for both data types.)

       The new operator family is initially empty. It should be populated by issuing subsequent CREATE OPERATOR
       CLASS commands to add contained operator classes, and optionally ALTER OPERATOR FAMILY commands to add
       “loose” operators and their corresponding support functions.

       If a schema name is given then the operator family is created in the specified schema. Otherwise it is
       created in the current schema. Two operator families in the same schema can have the same name only if
       they are for different index methods.

       The user who defines an operator family becomes its owner. Presently, the creating user must be a
       superuser. (This restriction is made because an erroneous operator family definition could confuse or
       even crash the server.)

       Refer to Section 36.16 for further information.

PARAMETERS

       name
           The name of the operator family to be created. The name can be schema-qualified.

       index_method
           The name of the index method this operator family is for.

COMPATIBILITY

       CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY is a PostgreSQL extension. There is no CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY statement in the SQL
       standard.

SEE ALSO

       ALTER OPERATOR FAMILY (ALTER_OPERATOR_FAMILY(7)), DROP OPERATOR FAMILY (DROP_OPERATOR_FAMILY(7)), CREATE
       OPERATOR CLASS (CREATE_OPERATOR_CLASS(7)), ALTER OPERATOR CLASS (ALTER_OPERATOR_CLASS(7)), DROP OPERATOR
       CLASS (DROP_OPERATOR_CLASS(7))

PostgreSQL 17.5                                       2025                             CREATE OPERATOR FAMILY(7)