Name

ST_ShortestLine — Returns the 2D shortest line between two geometries

Synopsis

geometry ST_ShortestLine(geometry geom1, geometry geom2);

geography ST_ShortestLine(geography geom1, geography geom2, boolean use_spheroid = true);

Description

Returns the 2-dimensional shortest line between two geometries. The line returned starts in geom1 and ends in geom2. If geom1 and geom2 intersect the result is a line with start and end at an intersection point. The length of the line is the same as ST_Distance returns for g1 and g2.

Enhanced: 3.4.0 - support for geography.

Availability: 1.5.0

Examples

Shortest line between a Point and a LineString.

Code
SELECT ST_ShortestLine(
        'POINT (160 40)',
        'LINESTRING (10 30,50 50,30 110,70 90,180 140,130 190)') As sline;
Output
LINESTRING(160 40,125.75342465753425 115.34246575342466)
Figure
Geometry figure for visual-st-shortestline-01

Shortest line between polygons.

Code
SELECT ST_ShortestLine(
         'POLYGON ((190 150,20 10,160 70,190 150))',
         ST_Buffer('POINT(80 160)', 30)
                  ) AS llinewkt;
Output
LINESTRING(131.59149149528952 101.89887534906195,101.21320343559643 138.78679656440357)
Figure
Geometry figure for visual-st-shortestline-02