---
name: "SHOW"
section: "7"
platform: "linux"
package: "postgresql"
version: "18.6-4"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/SHOW"
---

# SHOW(7)

show the value of a run-time parameter

## NAME

SHOW - show the value of a run-time parameter

## SYNOPSIS

```
SHOW name
SHOW ALL
```

## DESCRIPTION

**SHOW** will display the current setting of run-time parameters. These variables can be set using the **SET** statement, by editing the postgresql.conf configuration file, through the **PGOPTIONS** environmental variable (when using libpq or a libpq-based application), or through command-line flags when starting the **postgres** server. See Chapter 19 for details.

## PARAMETERS

*name*

The name of a run-time parameter. Available parameters are documented in Chapter 19 and on the [**SET**(7)](/SET/7.md) reference page. In addition, there are a few parameters that can be shown but not set:

SERVER\_VERSION

Shows the server's version number.

SERVER\_ENCODING

Shows the server-side character set encoding. At present, this parameter can be shown but not set, because the encoding is determined at database creation time.

IS\_SUPERUSER

True if the current role has superuser privileges.

ALL

Show the values of all configuration parameters, with descriptions.

## NOTES

The function **current\_setting** produces equivalent output; see Section 9.28.1. Also, the pg\_settings system view produces the same information.

## EXAMPLES

Show the current setting of the parameter *DateStyle*:

```
SHOW DateStyle;
 DateStyle
-----------
 ISO, MDY
(1 row)
```

Show the current setting of the parameter *geqo*:

```
SHOW geqo;
 geqo
------
 on
(1 row)
```

Show all settings:

```
SHOW ALL;
            name         | setting |                description
-------------------------+---------+-------------------------------------------------
 allow_system_table_mods | off     | Allows modifications of the structure of ...
    .
    .
    .
 xmloption               | content | Sets whether XML data in implicit parsing ...
 zero_damaged_pages      | off     | Continues processing past damaged page headers.
(196 rows)
```

## COMPATIBILITY

The **SHOW** command is a PostgreSQL extension.

## SEE ALSO

[**SET**(7)](/SET/7.md), [**RESET**(7)](/RESET/7.md)