pgclone 4.0.0 released

# pgclone v4.0.0: Native SQL-Based Database Cloning and Data Masking

**Baku, Azerbaijan — April 22, 2026**

I am pleased to announce the release of **pgclone** version 4.0.0, a
PostgreSQL extension that clones databases, schemas, and objects directly via
SQL. It features built-in data masking, parallel background workers, and
full DDL support — with no dependency on `pg_dump`, `pg_restore`, or external
shell scripts. pgclone is released as open source under the PostgreSQL
Licence.

## Description

**pgclone** provides a seamless way to clone PostgreSQL objects across
instances using nothing but SQL commands. By leveraging the PostgreSQL `COPY`
protocol and custom Background Workers (BGW), it offers a high-performance,
integrated alternative to traditional dump/restore workflows.

## Key Capabilities

- **Native SQL Interface:** Clone databases, schemas, and tables without
leaving `psql` or managing shell scripts.
- **Integrated Data Masking:** Anonymize sensitive data (emails, names,
phone numbers, hashes) during the cloning process using built-in masking
functions.
- **Auto-Discovery:** Automatically scan source schemas to identify
sensitive columns and receive suggested masking rules.
- **High Performance:** Parallel background workers handle concurrent table
cloning, with real-time progress tracking via `pgclone.jobs_view`.
- **Full DDL Support:** Preserves indexes, constraints (PK, UNIQUE, CHECK,
FK, EXCLUDE), triggers, views, and sequences.
- **Flexible Conflict Resolution:** Choose between `error`, `skip`,
`replace`, or `rename` strategies when objects already exist.
- **Cross-Version Compatibility:** Tested on PostgreSQL 14, 15, 16, 17,
and 18.
- **Open Source:** Distributed under the PostgreSQL Licence — the same
permissive licence used by PostgreSQL itself.

## Links & Resources

We welcome contributions and feedback from the community to help make pgclone
even better.

- **GitHub:** https://github.com/valehdba/pgclone
- **Release v4.0.0:** https://github.com/valehdba/pgclone/releases/tag/v4.0.0
- **PGXN:** https://pgxn.org/dist/pgclone/4.0.0/
- **Usage Guide:** https://github.com/valehdba/pgclone/blob/main/docs/USAGE.md
- **Async Operations:** https://github.com/valehdba/pgclone/blob/main/docs/ASYNC.md
- **Architecture:** https://github.com/valehdba/pgclone/blob/main/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
- **Manual Testing:** https://github.com/valehdba/pgclone/blob/main/docs/TESTING_MANUAL.md

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