install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install pgsync

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#pgsync

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/pg/pgsync/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Sync Postgres data between databases

Project links

Commands and aliases

pgsync

history

Project history and usage

pgsync is a Ruby-based command-line utility for synchronizing PostgreSQL data between databases with parallel transfer, selective copying, safety controls, and data masking.

Project history

Andrew Kane released pgsync in December 2015 as a Ruby command-line tool inspired by heroku-pg-transfer.

It evolved from basic database copying into a parallel synchronization tool with partial-table selection, schema operations, resumable batching, framework integrations, safety restrictions, and server-side sensitive-data transformations.

Adoption history

The official README describes pgsync as battle-tested at Instacart.

The tool is distributed through RubyGems, Homebrew, Docker, and Nix, and its changelog records continued compatibility work across Ruby, PostgreSQL, and packaging environments.

How it is used

Running `pgsync --init` in a project creates `.pgsync.yml`; named database configurations use `.pgsync-<database>.yml`. Commands search from the working directory through parent directories for configuration.

Users can synchronize all data, selected tables, filtered records, or named groups; optionally preserve or truncate destination rows, transfer schemas, defer constraints, and resume large append-only backfills.

Data rules can replace or null sensitive fields on the source server, and the destination is restricted to localhost by default unless explicitly marked safe.

Why package nerds care

pgsync occupies the practical middle ground between full database dumps and application-specific seed scripts: it can copy selected tables, filtered rows, and related record groups while handling schema differences.

Its server-side data rules are especially significant for developers who need production-like local datasets without allowing sensitive values to leave the source database.

Timeline

2015-12-07: Version 0.1.0, the first release.
2016: Added richer groups, partial-row synchronization, wildcard tables, and batch transfers.
2020: Added Django and Laravel integrations, parallel jobs, trigger controls, and Amazon RDS support.
2024-07-10: Version 0.8.0 added a Linux ARM64 Docker image.

Related projects

The project credits heroku-pg-transfer as an inspiration.
Its README points to pgslice, Dexter, and PgHero as related PostgreSQL tools.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: blue

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

Risk classifier

blue risk · medium confidence · tool

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

Signals

text:sync,database

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: .pgsync.yml

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: .pgsync.yml.pgsync-<database>.yml
Windows: .pgsync.yml.pgsync-<database>.yml

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`pgsync`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-09-19

manager version0.8.1

manager updated2026-09-13

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.8.1

https://github.com/ankane/pgsync

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:pgsync
Version	0.8.1
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/pgsync
Homepage	https://github.com/ankane/pgsync
Repository	https://github.com/ankane/pgsync
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/ankane/pgsync/archive/refs/tags/v0.8.1.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-09-13T11:35:57Z
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	libpq, ruby
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	pgsync
Version Scheme	0
Revision	1
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

pgsync

nix profile install nixpkgs#pgsync

normalized package name match
Matched by: Pgsync

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/pg/pgsync/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/pgsync.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment
pkg.so package database
pkgdb category and tag curation

Install pgsync with Homebrew, Nix