integer_datetimes

Definition PG 18 manual

Reports whether PostgreSQL was built with support for 64-bit-integer dates and times. As of PostgreSQL 10, this is always on.

How it works

Shows whether datetimes are integer based. It is read-only and cannot be changed with SET or configuration-file edits.

It reports the server's datetime representation. All measured PG9.0–19 Beta 3 builds use integer datetimes; applications should treat it as compatibility metadata.

Interpret it with server_version, server_version_num, server_encoding. Applications and operations tooling may read integer_datetimes for capability or environment detection, but cannot SET it; cross-cluster comparisons must account for build, initdb, and current-database differences.

Operational considerations

Trying to change read-only integer_datetimes with SET or a configuration file.

Assuming every cluster, database, or vendor build reports the same value.

Ignoring the value in file-format or feature-compatibility checks.

Treating reported metadata as a performance target instead of an environment fact.

Workload guidance

OLAP: Not tunable. Use integer_datetimes to verify format, build, or resource assumptions on analytical nodes and keep every read/write candidate compatible.

OLTP: Not tunable. Record integer_datetimes as a deployment/capability fact; if it is unexpected, fix the binary, initdb, or database-creation process rather than trying SET.

SMALL: Not tunable. Preserve it in inventory and incident reports; do not custom-build or rebuild merely to change it without a demonstrated compatibility need.