What s Inside?

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What's Inside?

A lot of effort has been put into making this book a truly great "reference" manual. There is a certain art to making a reference manual that differs from writing a traditional book. Namely, the author of a reference manual needs to keep in mind, even more than usual, how the book will actually be used.

Reference manuals aren't read sequentially; rather, the reader usually jumps from topic to topic as his or her needs arise. Consequently, a great deal of care needs to be taken in how the book is laid out, in how it is organized, and in giving the reader the "right amount" of information on each topic.

I've worked hard at following this approach to the best of my ability. The information collected has been organized into the following structure.

SQL Reference

This section outlines all the SQL commands supported by PostgreSQL Version 7.1 in a single chapter ” Chapter 1, "PostgreSQL SQL Reference." Each command is listed in alphabetical order, along with usage notes and an example.

PostgreSQL Specifics

The following PostgreSQL-specific information is covered:

• Chapter 2, "PostgreSQL Data Types," is a listing of the valid PostgreSQL data types and their typical use.

• Chapter 3, "PostgreSQL Operators," is a listing of the operators that exist in PostgreSQL, as well as examples that highlight their use.

• Chapter 4, "PostgreSQL Functions," is a listing of the included functions within PostgreSQL, as well as examples that highlight their use.

• Chapter 5, "Other PostgreSQL Topics," covers table inheritance, B-Tree indexes, and OIDs. It also includes a discussion of how Multiversion Concurrency Control (MVCC) works.

PostgreSQL Administration

Information in this section is designed to aid the database administrator (DBA) in understanding how the PostgreSQL system operates. The following topics are covered:

• Chapter 6, " User Executable Files," covers files specifically designed to be executed by database users.

• Chapter 7, "System Executable Files," covers files specific to system or server functions.

• Chapter 8, "System Configuration Files and Libraries," covers the configuration files needed by PostgreSQL.

• Chapter 9, "Databases and Log Files," provides information on where the database and log files are stored locally.

• Chapter 10, "Common Administrative Tasks," is a brief synopsis of common administrative tasks that the DBA might need to perform.

Programming with PostgreSQL

This section outlines the options available to programmers who need to develop custom applications with PostgreSQL. Covered topics include the following:

• Chapter 11, "Server-Side Programming," outlines the PL/pgSQL, PL/pgTCL, and PL/Perl procedural scripting languages.

• Chapter 12, "Creating Custom Functions," outlines the use of custom written functions, triggers, and rules.

• Chapter 13, "Client-Side Programming," describes how client applications can interface with the back end. It explores Python, Perl, Libpq, Libpq++, Libpgeasy, Ecpg, ODBC, and the JDBC interfaces.

• Chapter 14, "Advanced PostgreSQL Programming," delves into the extending of PostgreSQL through the creation of custom types, operators, and aggregates.

Appendices

Two appendices provide further information about PostgreSQL:

• Appendix A, "Additional Resources," includes a list of various support resources, from mailing lists to commercial sites.

• Appendix B, "PostgreSQL Version Information," provides you with a historical overview of the changes in the various PostgreSQL releases.

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