Describe
Describe is a frontend protocol message. Identifies the message as a Describe command.
Reading PG 18·Select a recorded version
- Direction
- Frontend → backend
- First wire field
- Byte1('D')
- Field entries
- 4
- Documented flow contexts
- Extended Query
- direction
- F
- manual path
- /docs/18/protocol-message-formats.html
- signature
- Describe (F)
Definition PG 18
-
- Byte1('D')
-
Identifies the message as a Describe command.
- Int32
-
Length of message contents in bytes, including self.
- Byte1
-
'
S' to describe a prepared statement; or 'P' to describe a portal. - String
-
The name of the prepared statement or portal to describe (an empty string selects the unnamed prepared statement or portal).
Wire fields in documented order
| Position | Format | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Byte1('D') | Identifies the message as a Describe command. |
| 2 | Int32 | Length of message contents in bytes, including self. |
| 3 | Byte1 | ' S ' to describe a prepared statement; or ' P ' to describe a portal. |
| 4 | String | The name of the prepared statement or portal to describe (an empty string selects the unnamed prepared statement or portal). |
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Complete source facts
fields
map[description:Identifies the message as a Describe command. format:Byte1('D')], map[description:Length of message contents in bytes, including self. format:Int32], map[description:' S ' to describe a prepared statement; or ' P ' to describe a portal. format:Byte1], map[description:The name of the prepared statement or portal to describe (an empty string selects the unnamed prepared statement or portal). format:String]Source references
Full definition and evidence JSON
Definition sources
center · PostgreSQL 18 · 555610c24d53e4316da5b7d3fc25c279d96856d5e0e23ee308c328c5fa881d9f
Text language: en · 555610c24d53e4316da5b7d3fc25c279d96856d5e0e23ee308c328c5fa881d9f