What is PgStack?

PgStack links to a Postgres database through logical replication and builds two read-only replicas. One replica focuses on search, offering keyword, semantic, and combined ranking with optional OpenAI embeddings. The other replica records every row change with before and after snapshots for auditing. The software runs in one Docker container and serves a Postgres-compatible SQL interface on port 54321. A YAML file controls which tables and columns are indexed. The core is AGPL-3.0 licensed, while a paid cloud edition provides a web dashboard, team features, managed embeddings, autoscaling, and hardened security.

Should you self-host PgStack?

PgStack scores 54/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #23 of 41 in Search Engines. It has 1 537 GitHub stars.

It shipped 5 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v2.2.0, came out on 23 October 2026. New versions land roughly every 7 days.

Setup is moderate: expect some configuration beyond a single command. An official Docker image is available. It is AGPL-3.0-licensed and written mostly in Go.

Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is SearXNG (86/100, 38 940 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See PgStack vs SearXNG side by side.

Features

ARM64 Support
Audit Trail
BM25 keyword search
Hybrid SearchRequires OPENAI_API_KEY
Logical replication
Postgres wire protocol
SCRAM authentication
Search replica
Semantic SearchRequires OPENAI_API_KEY
YAML Configuration

FAQ

Why use PgStack instead of building this myself?

Companies like Facebook, AngelList, LinkedIn, Gusto, and Airbnb have built similar systems, often investing significant time and millions of dollars. PgStack provides this as a managed capability.

How do I query my data?

Connect to your provisioned PgStack database with any Postgres client. Query audit history or search data with relevance ranking and filters using SQL.

Do I need to migrate my database or install extensions?

No database migration or search/audit extensions are needed. PgStack uses read-only access so your existing database and application stay in place.

Where is my data stored?

Your existing Postgres remains the source of truth. Audit history and searchable data are stored separately in PgStack's isolated infrastructure and accessed through a Postgres-compatible database.

How does PgStack connect to Postgres?

PgStack connects via read-only access using Postgres's built-in logical replication, without inserting, updating, or deleting records. Setup requires permissions to configure replication.