PostgreSQL

Postgresql_elephant

PostgreSQL (often referred to as Postgres) is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) emphasizing extensibility and SQL compliance. It was originally named POSTGRES, referring to its origins as a successor to the Ingres database developed at the University of California, Berkeley.

History

PostgreSQL's development began in 1986 under the direction of Professor Michael Stonebraker as part of the POSTGRES project at Berkeley. The project aimed to add the fewest features needed to support complex data types for new applications. In 1996, the project was renamed to PostgreSQL to reflect its support for SQL.

Features

PostgreSQL offers a wide range of features that comply with the SQL:2011 standard, including:

• ACID compliance
• Foreign keys
• Triggers
• Views
• Transactional integrity
• Multi-Version Concurrency Control (MVCC)

Additionally, PostgreSQL supports:

• Stored procedures and functions
• Custom data types
• Indexing techniques such as B-tree, hash, GiST, GIN, and SP-GiST
• Full-text search
• JSON and XML data types
• Replication (both synchronous and asynchronous)

Extensibility

One of PostgreSQL's most notable features is its extensibility. Users can define their own:

• Data types
• Functions
• Operators
• Index methods
• Procedural languages

Procedural Languages

PostgreSQL supports several procedural languages, including:

• PL/pgSQL
• PL/Tcl
• PL/Perl
• PL/Python

Community and Development

PostgreSQL is developed by a global community of developers and companies. The PostgreSQL Global Development Group (PGDG) oversees the development and release process. The community provides extensive documentation, mailing lists, and support forums.

Use Cases

PostgreSQL is used in various applications, from web and mobile applications to data warehousing and analytics. Its robustness and feature set make it suitable for both small and large-scale applications.

Related Pages

• Relational database management system
• SQL
• Ingres (database)
• Michael Stonebraker
• ACID
• Multi-Version Concurrency Control
• Replication (computing)

See Also

• List of relational database management systems
• Comparison of relational database management systems
• Database management system