PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL (or Postgres for short) is an open-source relational database management systems (RDBMS). The purpose of the wikibook on hand is an introduction to PostgreSQL's capabilities, architecture, installing procedure, maintenance, and optimization tasks. Such aspects differ greatly from RDBMS to RDBMS. Thus the book is primarily aimed at database administrators - especially for students, occasional users, and novice DBAs who start to work with PostgreSQL. It only conveys basic knowledge and first steps. Many - even important - DBA topics are omitted. For a complete treatment, we recommend

accomplish a professional training course offered by a consulting company
use the excellent and complete PostgreSQL documentation regularly
consult PostgreSQL wiki which summarizes some special topics.

In addition to graphical interfaces, the main access method to an RDBMS is SQL, the standardized language for accessing relational databases. Because SQL does not differ that much from system to system, it's out of scope of this Wikibook: it's a topic of itself. If you are interested in the SQL syntax, you may want to refer to the Wikibook SQL, which describes this standard independently from any RDBMS. PostgreSQL's implementation of SQL is very close to the standard.

Historical note: PostgreSQL is a follow-up (but independent) project of Ingres starting at 1986. The roots of both systems go back to the University of California at Berkeley.

A printable version of PostgreSQL is available. (edit it)

A PDF version is available. (info)

Content

Introduction

Internal Architecture of PostgreSQL

First Steps

Concepts

Architecture: Collaboration of Processes, RAM, and Files

Special Topics

Extensions

Implementation Details

External links