How to Use CURRENT_USER in PostgreSQL

What does CURRENT_USER return?

CURRENT_USER yields the name of the role that is actively running the statement. It reflects privilege inheritance after SET ROLE or SECURITY DEFINER functions, making it ideal for auditing.

How do I select the current user?

Run SELECT CURRENT_USER;. PostgreSQL returns a single-row, single-column result containing the current role, e.g., galaxy_dev.

Can I embed CURRENT_USER in ecommerce queries?

Yes. Combine it with tables like Orders to stamp who issued a report or update:

SELECT CURRENT_USER AS run_by,
NOW() AS run_at,
COUNT(*) AS total_orders
FROM Orders
WHERE order_date > CURRENT_DATE - INTERVAL '30 days';

How do I store CURRENT_USER in an audit column?

Add a trigger that inserts CURRENT_USER into updated_by on every change. This keeps a clear editing trail.

Does SECURITY DEFINER affect CURRENT_USER?

Yes. Inside a SECURITY DEFINER function, CURRENT_USER returns the function owner, not the caller. Use SESSION_USER when you need the original login role instead.

Best practices for CURRENT_USER

Use it for row-level security predicates, audit columns, and session context checks. Avoid hard-coding role names; rely on the dynamic value of CURRENT_USER.

What mistakes should I avoid?

Don’t confuse USER and CURRENT_USER; they are synonyms in PostgreSQL but differ in other SQL dialects. Always test inside SECURITY DEFINER code to verify you get the expected role.