---
title: Utilities
---
import { Alert } from '/components/alert.tsx'

## Utility Functions
### pg.escapeIdentifier

Escapes a string as a [SQL identifier](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/sql-syntax-lexical.html#SQL-SYNTAX-IDENTIFIERS).

```js
const { escapeIdentifier } = require('pg')
const escapedIdentifier = escapeIdentifier('FooIdentifier')
console.log(escapedIdentifier) // '"FooIdentifier"'
```

<Alert>
  **Note**: When using an identifier that is the result of this function in an operation like `CREATE TABLE ${escapedIdentifier(identifier)}`, the table that is created will be CASE SENSITIVE. If you use any capital letters in the escaped identifier, you must always refer to the created table like `SELECT * from "MyCaseSensitiveTable"`; queries like `SELECT * FROM MyCaseSensitiveTable` will result in a "Non-existent table" error since case information is stripped from the query.
</Alert>

### pg.escapeLiteral

<Alert>
  **Note**: Instead of manually escaping SQL literals, it is recommended to use parameterized queries. Refer to [parameterized queries](/features/queries#parameterized-query) and the [client.query](/apis/client#clientquery) API for more information.
</Alert>

Escapes a string as a [SQL literal](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/sql-syntax-lexical.html#SQL-SYNTAX-CONSTANTS).

```js
const { escapeLiteral } = require('pg')
const escapedLiteral = escapeLiteral("hello 'world'")
console.log(escapedLiteral) // "'hello ''world'''"
```