2000-03-31 05:27:42 +02:00
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2003-09-09 01:02:28 +02:00
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$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/intro.sgml,v 1.21 2003/09/08 23:02:28 petere Exp $
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2000-03-31 05:27:42 +02:00
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2003-09-09 01:02:28 +02:00
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<preface id="preface">
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<title>Preface</title>
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<para>
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This book is the official documentation of PostgreSQL. It is being
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written by the PostgreSQL developers and other volunteers in
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parallel to the development of the PostgreSQL software. It
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describes all the functionality that the current version of
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PostgreSQL officially supports.
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</para>
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<para>
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To make the large amount of information about PostgreSQL manageable,
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this book has been organized in several parts. Each part is
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targeted at a different class of users, or at users in different
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stages of their PostgreSQL experience:
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<itemizedlist>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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<xref linkend="tutorial"> is an informal introduction for new users.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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<xref linkend="sql"> documents the <acronym>SQL</acronym> query
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language environment, including data types and functions, as well
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as user-level performance tuning. Every
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<productname>PostgreSQL</> user should read this.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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<xref linkend="admin"> describes the installation and
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administration of the server. Everyone that runs a PostgreSQL
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server, be it for private use or for others, should read this
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part.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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<xref linkend="client-interfaces"> describes the programming
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interfaces for PostgreSQL client programs.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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<xref linkend="server-programming"> contains information for
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advanced users about the extensibility capabilities of the
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server. Topics are, for instance, user-defined data types and
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functions.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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<xref linkend="reference"> contains information about the syntax
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of SQL commands, client and server programs. This part supports
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the other parts with structured information sorted by command or
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program.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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</para>
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<sect1 id="intro-whatis">
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<title> What is <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>?</title>
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<para>
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<productname>PostgreSQL</productname> is an object-relational
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database management system (<acronym>ORDBMS</acronym>) based on
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<ulink url="http://s2k-ftp.CS.Berkeley.EDU:8000/postgres/postgres.html">
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<productname>POSTGRES, Version 4.2</productname></ulink>, developed
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at the University of California at Berkeley Computer Science
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Department. POSTGRES pioneered many concepts that only became
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available in some commercial database systems much later.
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</para>
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<para>
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<productname>PostgreSQL</productname> is an open-source descendant
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of this original Berkeley code. It supports SQL92 and SQL99 and
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offers many modern features:
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<itemizedlist spacing="compact">
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<listitem>
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<simpara>complex queries</simpara>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<simpara>foreign keys</simpara>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<simpara>triggers</simpara>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<simpara>views</simpara>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<simpara>transactional integrity</simpara>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<simpara>multiversion concurrency control</simpara>
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</listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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Also, PostgreSQL can be extended by the user in many ways, for
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example by adding new
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<itemizedlist spacing="compact">
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<listitem>
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<simpara>data types</simpara>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<simpara>functions</simpara>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<simpara>operators</simpara>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<simpara>aggregate functions</simpara>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<simpara>index methods</simpara>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<simpara>procedural languages</simpara>
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</listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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</para>
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<para>
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And because of the liberal license, PostgreSQL can be used,
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modified, and distributed by everyone free of charge for any
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purpose, be it private, commercial, or academic.
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</para>
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</sect1>
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&history;
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¬ation;
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&info;
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&problems;
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</preface>
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