The following documentation comment has been logged on the website:
Page: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/16/plpython.html
Description:
Hi everyone,
I am currently trying to install PL/Python on Windows and noticed that no
documentation for that currently exists (I hope I didn't miss anything).
Unfortunately, it's not so straightforward. The only information is
currently available on some Stackoverflow posts, and I found the
Stackbuilder documentation for enabling it, which unfortunately is only
available for Postgres 14 (and therefore doesn't mention the correct Python
version for newer Postgres versions):
https://www.enterprisedb.com/docs/epas/14/language_pack/02_installing_language_pack/
I think the Postgres documentation should mention:
- what Python one needs (So 3.11 for PG 16)
- if only the Stackbuilder Python is supported or also a normal Python
install. And if normal Python installs must be installed to some special
path. The Stackbuilder version seems to differ from the normal one, it for
example doesn't have the pip command, only pip3 (which might be confusing
for beginners). It also seems to install itself in a location that is not
writable for users, which the normal Python installer doesn't.
- what needs to be added to PATH on Windows (and if it needs to be the
System or user path.)
- other environment variables like PYTHONPATH or PYTHONHOME, which might
need to be set. (For standard Python installs one doesn't really need them,
but Stackoverflow/the Stackbuilder docs say that one needs them for
PL/Python.)
- if any attention needs to be paid when installing custom libraries (I
don't know, the fact that the stackbuilder installer installs Python
installs the files into a non-user-writable directory causes the following
warning:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/59997065/pip-python-normal-site-packages-is-not-writeable
. But I'm not sure about the specific effects.)
PS: Thanks a lot for maintaining postgres!