Geometric Operators

PostgreSQL includes a number of operators to assist in comparing geometric data types included with PostgreSQL.

Some of these operators are implicit Boolean returns (for example, << and >>), and others provide new results from the input elements like math operators (for example, + and -).

Listing

+	Translation (for example, point '(2,0)' + point '(0,1)')
-	Translation (for example, point '(2,0)' - point '(0,1)')
*	Scaling/rotation
/	Scaling/rotation
#	Intersection
#	Number of points in polygon
##	Point of closest proximity
&&	Overlaps
&<	Overlaps to left
&>	Overlaps to right
<->	Distance between
<<	Is left of
<^	Is below
>>	Is right of
>^	Is above
?#	Intersects or overlaps
?-	Is horizontal
?-|	Is perpendicular
@-@	Length or circumference
?|	Is vertical
?||	Is parallel
@	Contained or on
@@	Center of
~=	Same as

Notes/Examples

Add a point to a box:

box '((0,0),(1,1))' ** point '(2,0)' 

Select all boxes that lay to the left of the given box:

SELECT * FROM map WHERE the box << box '((5,5),(4,4))'; 

Select the lines parallel to the line segment given:

SELECT * FROM map WHERE the lines ?|| lseg '((1,1),(3,3))';