SET ROLE
SET ROLE — set the current user identifier of the current session
Synopsis
SET [ SESSION | LOCAL ] ROLErole_nameSET [ SESSION | LOCAL ] ROLE NONERESET ROLEDescription
This command sets the current user identifier of the current SQL session to berole_name. The role name can be written as either an identifier or a string literal. AfterSET ROLE, permissions checking for SQL commands is carried out as though the named role were the one that had logged in originally. Note thatSET ROLE andSET SESSION AUTHORIZATION are exceptions; permissions checks for those continue to use the current session user and the initial session user (theauthenticated user), respectively.
The current session user must have theSET option for the specifiedrole_name, either directly or indirectly via a chain of memberships with theSET option. (If the session user is a superuser, any role can be selected.)
TheSESSION andLOCAL modifiers act the same as for the regularSET command.
SET ROLE NONE sets the current user identifier to the current session user identifier, as returned bysession_user.RESET ROLE sets the current user identifier to the connection-time setting specified by thecommand-line options,ALTER ROLE, orALTER DATABASE, if any such settings exist. Otherwise,RESET ROLE sets the current user identifier to the current session user identifier. These forms can be executed by any user.
Notes
Using this command, it is possible to either add privileges or restrict one's privileges. If the session user role has been granted membershipsWITH INHERIT TRUE, it automatically has all the privileges of every such role. In this case,SET ROLE effectively drops all the privileges except for those which the target role directly possesses or inherits. On the other hand, if the session user role has been granted membershipsWITH INHERIT FALSE, the privileges of the granted roles can't be accessed by default. However, if the role was grantedWITH SET TRUE, the session user can useSET ROLE to drop the privileges assigned directly to the session user and instead acquire the privileges available to the named role. If the role was grantedWITH INHERIT FALSE, SET FALSE then the privileges of that role cannot be exercised either with or withoutSET ROLE.
SET ROLE has effects comparable toSET SESSION AUTHORIZATION, but the privilege checks involved are quite different. Also,SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION determines which roles are allowable for laterSET ROLE commands, whereas changing roles withSET ROLE does not change the set of roles allowed to a laterSET ROLE.
SET ROLE does not process session variables as specified by the role'sALTER ROLE settings; this only happens during login.
SET ROLE cannot be used within aSECURITY DEFINER function.
Examples
SELECT SESSION_USER, CURRENT_USER; session_user | current_user--------------+-------------- peter | peterSET ROLE 'paul';SELECT SESSION_USER, CURRENT_USER; session_user | current_user--------------+-------------- peter | paul
Compatibility
Postgres Pro allows identifier syntax ("), while the SQL standard requires the role name to be written as a string literal. SQL does not allow this command during a transaction;Postgres Pro does not make this restriction because there is no reason to. Therolename"SESSION andLOCAL modifiers are aPostgres Pro extension, as is theRESET syntax.