bonjour_name

Definition PG 18 manual

Specifies the Bonjour service name. The computer name is used if this parameter is set to the empty string '' (which is the default). This parameter is ignored if the server was not compiled with Bonjour support. This parameter can only be set at server start.

How it works

bonjour_name sets the Bonjour service name. An empty string means use the computer name. An empty value derives the advertised service name from the computer name, and the setting matters only when Bonjour advertisement is enabled.

bonjour_name is a POSTMASTER-context setting: PostgreSQL reads it during server startup, and a configuration reload or session SET cannot activate a new value.

Bonjour advertisement depends on platform support and publishes the listener as metadata; listen_addresses, port, pg_hba.conf, TLS, and firewalls still define actual reachability and trust.

Operational considerations

Expecting a reload or SET to activate bonjour_name, although it requires a controlled server restart.

Treating an mDNS advertisement as an access-control, authentication, or high-availability mechanism.

Publishing an unexpected service name or endpoint on an untrusted broadcast domain.

Changing bonjour_name globally without a rollback plan and a client or operational compatibility test.

Workload guidance

OLAP: Analytical workload shape does not justify different bonjour_name behavior; use the same reviewed discovery policy and stable service identity.

OLTP: Enable bonjour_name only when clients deliberately use Bonjour/mDNS on a trusted local network. Treat it as discovery metadata, never as authentication or a highly available service registry.

SMALL: Leave bonjour_name off or empty unless local zero-configuration discovery is an explicit requirement; it does not improve database capacity.