Want to export data from PostgreSQL query to TSV file?
Try Withdata DBToFile, a PostgreSQL to TSV converter for Windows, Linux, and macOS, Export PostgreSQL data to TSV, Easy and Fast.
- Can run in GUI mode, Step by Step, just a few mouse clicks.
- Can run in Command line, for Scheduled Tasks and Streams.
- Support Windows, Linux, and macOS.
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Linux .deb (For Debian, Ubuntu) 64 bit
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Export data from PostgreSQL query to TSV file
Login to PostgreSQL -> Enter PostgreSQL query -> Set TSV file options -> Export PostgreSQL query to TSV
Choose PostgreSQL and logon.
Click “Export From Query” at task dialog.
Select TSV file type.
1. Enter PostgreSQL query.
2. Set TSV file options.
3. Set rows options.
4. Export PostgreSQL query results to TSV file.
After exporting, you can view output TSV files.
More about PostgreSQL to TSV converter
Download Withdata DBToFile
Windows 64 bit
Windows 32 bit
Linux .deb (For Debian, Ubuntu) 64 bit
Linux .rpm (For Red Hat, Fedora, SUSE) 64 bit
MacOS 64 bit
See also:
- Export PostgreSQL table to TSV
- Export multiple similar PostgreSQL tables to one TSV file
- Batch export PostgreSQL tables to TSV files
PostgreSQL → TSV reference
Type mapping
| Value kind | in PostgreSQL | in TSV |
|---|---|---|
| Int | integer | 1234 |
| Bigint | bigint | 9007199254740993 |
| Decimal | numeric(p,s) | 1234.56 |
| Float | double precision | 1.234e+10 |
| Text | varchar(n) | unquoted; a tab in the value splits the column |
| Long text | text | unquoted; newlines break the row |
| Date | date | 2026-09-18 |
| Datetime | timestamp | 2026-09-18 14:30:00 |
| Binary | bytea | not representable |
| Boolean | boolean | TRUE / FALSE |
| JSON | jsonb | the whole JSON value as-is (its own quotes stay) |
Dialect differences
PostgreSQL is a database server and TSV is a file format, so the gap is wider than a dialect difference - the rows below are where values and structure stop lining up.
| Property | in PostgreSQL | in TSV |
|---|---|---|
| port | 5432 | — |
| identifiers | "double quotes" | Rarely used, which is exactly why tabs in data break it |
| row limit | LIMIT n | — |
| dates | timestamp, timestamptz, date, time | Conventional text: 2026-09-18 or 2026-09-18 14:30:00 |
| long text | TEXT | — |
| binary | BYTEA | Not supported - must be encoded |
| separator | — | Tab |
| encoding | — | No declaration - UTF-8 works only with a BOM |
| typing | — | None - every field is text |
| shape | Tables of rows and columns | Flat table, optional header row |
| ceiling | — | No formal limit |
Command line
| Side | Command |
|---|---|
| PostgreSQL | pg_dump or COPY ... TO |
| PostgreSQL (load) | COPY ... FROM |
Convert your data online, free
Free in-browser converters for CSV, Excel, JSON, XML and SQL: Withdata Online Data Conversion. Large files, batch conversion or scheduling? See the offline desktop apps, or browse all data conversion tools.
New to the format? Read what a TSV file is (and how it differs from CSV).