PostgreSQL operand Images¶

There are 2 ways to define the postgresql (operand) image we want to use in a CloudNative-PG cluster:

using directly the container image under spec.imageName
using an existing ImageCatalog or ClusterImageCatalog under spec.imageCatalogRef

Official CNPG images¶

CloudNative-PG builds and provides some postgresql container images and ClusterImageCatalog ready to be used in their clusters. Both have changed in the latest years, but the recommended way to use them is this.

Minimal images¶

If you do not expect to use additional extensions the best option is the minimal images. These images include APT debian PostgreSQL packages from PostgreSQL Global Development Group (PGDG).

The related ClusterImageCatalog for debian stable (trixie) is located here:

https://github.com/cloudnative-pg/artifacts/blob/main/image-catalogs/catalog-minimal-trixie.yaml

Minimal images + extensions¶

Starting with postgresql 18 + CNPG operator 1.29 + Kubernetes 1.35 you can dynamically add extensions to a CNPG cluster. CNPG team is building some extensions ready to be added that way.

The related ClusterImageCatalog for debian stable (trixie) is located here:

https://github.com/cloudnative-pg/artifacts/blob/main/image-catalogs-extensions/catalog-minimal-trixie.yaml

Standard images¶

CNPG team also provides standard images. They are minimal images with some additional features like pgaudit, Postgres Failover Slots, pgvector and all locales

The related ClusterImageCatalog for debian stable (trixie) is located here:

https://github.com/cloudnative-pg/artifacts/blob/main/image-catalogs/catalog-standard-trixie.yaml

Postgis¶

CloudNative-PG also builds and provides some postgis container images based on standard images. The standard ClusterImageCatalog for debian stable (trixie) is located here:

https://github.com/cloudnative-pg/postgis-containers/blob/main/image-catalogs/postgis-standard-trixie.yaml

The plan is to stop offering this postgis container images once PostgreSQL 17 reaches end of life (November 2029). The reason is a combination of features like the extension_control_path (postgresql 18), image volume extensions (CNPG 1.29) and ImageVolume (kubernetes 1.35). This will remove the need for dedicated PostGIS container images"

Then, if we want to use postgis using official images and catalogs we have 2 options

If running postgresql 18 + CNPG >=1.29 + kubernetes >=1.35 we can add postgis using the minimal image + extension ClusterImageCatalog
If not, you can use current dedicated postgis containers but with that November 2029 as limit

Custom image¶

It is possible to build your own custom images

Not recommended resources¶

system images

The system images are based on standard images and they include Barman Cloud binaries for backup operations. This method is being replaced by the barman cloud plugin method. They will be removed when in-core Barman Cloud support is phased out