<title>Description</title>

<para>

<application>pg_dump</application> is a utility forbacking up a

<application>pg_dump</application> is a utility forexporting a

<productname>PostgreSQL</productname> database. It makes consistent

backups even if the database is being used concurrently.

exports even if the database is being used concurrently.

<application>pg_dump</application> does not block other users

accessing the database (readers or writers).

Note, however, that except in simple cases,

<application>pg_dump</application> is generally not the right choice for

taking regular backups of production databases. See <xref

linkend="backup"/> for further discussion.

</para>

<para>

<application>pg_dump</application> only dumps a single database.

Toback upan entire cluster, or toback up global objects that are

Toexportan entire cluster, or toexport global objects that are

common to all databases in a cluster (such as roles and tablespaces),

use <xref linkend="app-pg-dumpall"/>.

</para>

<application>pg_restore</application>,

<application>pg_dump</application> provides a flexible archival and

transfer mechanism. <application>pg_dump</application> can be used to

backup an entire database, then <application>pg_restore</application>

export an entire database, then <application>pg_restore</application>

can be used to examine the archive and/or select which parts of the

database are to be restored. The most flexible output file formats are

the <quote>custom</quote> format (<option>-Fc</option>) and the

Require that each schema

(<option>-n</option>/<option>--schema</option>) and table

(<option>-t</option>/<option>--table</option>) qualifier match at

least one schema/table in thebackupfile.

least one schema/table in the file to be restored.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>