phpman > man > SET_SESSION_AUTHORIZATION(7)

SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION(7)       PostgreSQL 14.23 Documentation       SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION(7)



NAME
       SET_SESSION_AUTHORIZATION - set the session user identifier and the current user identifier
       of the current session

SYNOPSIS
       SET [ SESSION | LOCAL ] SESSION AUTHORIZATION user_name
       SET [ SESSION | LOCAL ] SESSION AUTHORIZATION DEFAULT
       RESET SESSION AUTHORIZATION

DESCRIPTION
       This command sets the session user identifier and the current user identifier of the current
       SQL session to be user_name. The user name can be written as either an identifier or a string
       literal. Using this command, it is possible, for example, to temporarily become an
       unprivileged user and later switch back to being a superuser.

       The session user identifier is initially set to be the (possibly authenticated) user name
       provided by the client. The current user identifier is normally equal to the session user
       identifier, but might change temporarily in the context of SECURITY DEFINER functions and
       similar mechanisms; it can also be changed by SET ROLE. The current user identifier is
       relevant for permission checking.

       The session user identifier can be changed only if the initial session user (the
       authenticated user) had the superuser privilege. Otherwise, the command is accepted only if
       it specifies the authenticated user name.

       The SESSION and LOCAL modifiers act the same as for the regular SET command.

       The DEFAULT and RESET forms reset the session and current user identifiers to be the
       originally authenticated user name. These forms can be executed by any user.

NOTES
       SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION cannot be used within a SECURITY DEFINER function.

EXAMPLES
           SELECT SESSION_USER, CURRENT_USER;

            session_user | current_user
           --------------+--------------
            peter        | peter

           SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION 'paul';

           SELECT SESSION_USER, CURRENT_USER;

            session_user | current_user
           --------------+--------------
            paul         | paul

COMPATIBILITY
       The SQL standard allows some other expressions to appear in place of the literal user_name,
       but these options are not important in practice.  PostgreSQL allows identifier syntax
       ("username"), which SQL does not. SQL does not allow this command during a transaction;
       PostgreSQL does not make this restriction because there is no reason to. The SESSION and
       LOCAL modifiers are a PostgreSQL extension, as is the RESET syntax.

       The privileges necessary to execute this command are left implementation-defined by the
       standard.

SEE ALSO
       SET ROLE (SET_ROLE(7))



PostgreSQL 14.23                                2026                    SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION(7)