Building your AI applications with PostgreSQL just got easier. Launched at Build, the Visual Studio (VS) Code extension for PostgreSQL allows you to manage database objects and draft queries with intelligent assistance—all without leaving your favorite code editor. This extension simplifies the ongoing struggle to unify database management and application development. Instead of constantly task-switching between different interfaces, the extension integrates database management directly into your development workflow. Plus, with GitHub Copilot capabilities for PostgreSQL built in, you can boost productivity and accelerate time to production.  

We had a few customers test drive the extension through a private preview, and they’ve saved hours each week and developed POCs faster by streamlining workflows. This blog shares their experiences and lessons learned. 

3 Cloud builds POCs faster—in hours, not days 

As an Azure Partner that develops AI applications for clients, 3 Cloud has a steady pipeline of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) solutions the team is actively working on. However, connecting those solutions to PostgreSQL often involved switching between different applications. In addition, these instances didn’t have AI incorporated.  

Once 3 Cloud started using the PostgreSQL extension for VS Code, the team saw productivity increase greatly. “I was able to ask questions on my data using the GitHub Copilot chat and create a database based on example data,” said Thomas Flock, Principal AI Architect at 3 Cloud. “Creating with the VS Code extension for PostgreSQL made it possible to develop POC applications much quicker for my clients. As an architect I always need to be one step ahead, and the extension allowed me to test my ideas before handing them off to the team.” 

Specifically, the team found the most value in the ability to take JSON data files, ask Copilot to review them, then have AI recommend a schema for PostgreSQL based on that data. This allowed the team to bounce around ideas for chunking and vectorizing.  

Being able to chat with Copilot and handle database management right within VS Code reduced the amount of task-switching and kept everyone on track. “Overall, our time to MVP went from three days to a few hours because we could get RAG solutions up quickly, test faster, and tune sooner,” Flock said. 

Convergent Computing developers save 20–30 hours per week 

Known for strategy and technology consulting, Convergent Computing often creates endpoint solutions for clients to chat with their data. Before the extension, the team spent time switching back and forth between VS Code and pgadmin, which they used for administrative access to PostgreSQL data. “As an early adopter of the VS Code extension for PostgreSQL, we knew immediately that it would greatly simplify the work we do with PostgreSQL every day,” said Rand Morimoto, President of Convergent Computing.  

Since adopting the extension, the team has eliminated the toggling between tools, and it allowed them to directly code security functions into their code base. This used to be a multi-step process spread across separate tools. All told, the extension cut down on task-switching, saving the team 20–30 hours per week.  

In addition, the VS Code extension for PostgreSQL features have helped improve overall efficiency. Convergent Consulting can now: 

• Easily add and remove permissions to PostgreSQL databases and tables 

• Live query content within VS Code 

• Test and validate data within the single VS Code user interface 

• Ask the integrated GitHub Copilot questions about the data 

“At the end of the day, the VS Code extension for PostgreSQL helped us accelerate our development of real-world AI use cases for organizations,” Morimoto said. 

What Sets the PostgreSQL Extension for VS Code Apart? 

Beyond these two examples, the VS Code extension for VS Code has helped other organizations accelerate development and streamline database management. Here’s what makes it special: 

• Seamless cloud integration: Deep integration with Azure Database for PostgreSQL simplifies cloud database management. 

• Enhanced productivity: Features like context-aware IntelliSense and SQL formatting save time and minimize errors. 

• GitHub Copilot capabilities for PostgreSQL: Database and workspace context awareness, enabling smarter and more contextually relevant assistance for developers – combined with the ability to perform multi-step tasks. 

• Streamlined onboarding: The Connection Manager ensures you can get started within minutes. 

• Improved security: Entra ID integration provides robust access control and centralized identity management, including the ability to browse your Azure Database for PostgreSQL instances.  

• Comprehensive toolset: You can manage database objects, execute queries, and deploy instances all within VS Code. 

Getting started with the Visual Studio Code extension for PostgreSQL

Here’s how you can install the VS Code extension for VS Code: 

1. Open the Extensions view in VS Code 
2. Search for "PostgreSQL" in the Extensions Marketplace 
3. Select and install the Preview PostgreSQL extension 

Figure 1: PostgreSQL extension available in the Marketplace. Extension ID: (ms-ossdata.vscode-pgsql)

The PostgreSQL extension for VS Code is also available in the Visual Studio Code Marketplace. 

Enabling the PostgreSQL GitHub Copilot Chat 

You will need the GitHub Copilot and GitHub Copilot chat extensions installed in VS Code to be able to log into your GitHub Account and use "@pgsql" in the chat interface to interact with your PostgreSQL database. 

Feedback and support 

We value your insights. Use the built-in feedback tool in VS Code to share your thoughts and report issues. Your feedback will help us refine the extension and ensure it meets the needs of the developer community.  

Regarding the standard preview license language included in this first release—our goal is to ensure this extension is widely available and consumable by all Postgres users equally. Stay tuned for updates to the license.  

Get started 

The VS Code extension for PostgreSQL offers significant enhancements to development efficiency and productivity. We encourage you to explore the public preview today and experience improved workflows with PostgreSQL databases. 

To learn more and get started, visit: aka.ms/pg-vscode-docs