Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for PostgreSQL

Last updated: Sat Jan 29 21:05:17 EST 2005

Last updated: Sat Jan 29 21:21:25 EST 2005

Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian (pgman@candle.pha.pa.us)

1.1) What is PostgreSQL? How is it pronounced?

1.2) What is the copyright on PostgreSQL?

1.3) What Unix platforms does PostgreSQL run on?

1.4) What non-Unix ports are available?

1.5) Where can I get PostgreSQL?

1.6) Where can I get support?

1.7) What is the latest release?

1.8) What documentation is available?

1.9) How do I find out about known bugs or missing features?

1.10) How can I learn SQL?

1.11) Is PostgreSQL Y2K compliant?

1.12) How do I join the development team?

1.13) How do I submit a bug report?

1.14) How does PostgreSQL compare to other DBMSs?

1.15) How can I financially assist PostgreSQL?

1.3) What platforms does PostgreSQL support?

1.4) Where can I get PostgreSQL?

1.5) Where can I get support?

1.6) What is the latest release?

1.7) What documentation is available?

1.8) How do I find out about known bugs or missing features?

1.9) How can I learn SQL?

1.10) How do I join the development team?

1.11) How do I submit a bug report?

1.12) How does PostgreSQL compare to other DBMSs?

1.13) How can I financially assist PostgreSQL?

User Client Questions

no restrictions on how the source code may be used. We like it and

have no intention of changing it.

1.3) WhatUnixplatforms does PostgreSQLrun on?

1.3) What platforms does PostgreSQLsupport?

In general, any modern Unix-compatible platform should be able to run

PostgreSQL. The platforms that had received explicit testing at the

time of release are listed in the installation instructions.

1.4) What non-Unix ports are available?

Starting with version 8.0, PostgreSQL now runs natively on Microsoft

Windows NT-based operating systems like Win2000, WinXP, and Win2003. A

prepackaged installer is available at

http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/cgi-bin/h-search?sh=1&button=Search&key=postgre

SQL&stype=all&sort=type&dir=%2F.

1.5) Where can I get PostgreSQL?

1.4) Where can I get PostgreSQL?

The primary anonymous ftp site for PostgreSQL is

ftp://ftp.PostgreSQL.org/pub. For mirror sites, see our main web site.

1.6) Where can I get support?

1.5) Where can I get support?

The main mailing list is: pgsql-general@PostgreSQL.org. It is

available for discussion of matters pertaining to PostgreSQL. To

A list of commercial support companies is available at

http://techdocs.postgresql.org/companies.php.

1.7) What is the latest release?

1.6) What is the latest release?

The latest release of PostgreSQL is version 8.0.0.

We plan to have major releases every six to eight months.

1.8) What documentation is available?

1.7) What documentation is available?

Several manuals, manual pages, and some small test examples are

included in the distribution. See the /doc directory. You can also

Our web site contains even more documentation.

1.9) How do I find out about known bugs or missing features?

1.8) How do I find out about known bugs or missing features?

PostgreSQL supports an extended subset of SQL-92. See our TODO list

for known bugs, missing features, and future plans.

1.10) How can I learn SQL?

1.9) How can I learn SQL?

The PostgreSQL book at http://www.PostgreSQL.org/docs/awbook.html

teaches SQL. There is another PostgreSQL book at

et al., Addison-Wesley. Others like The Complete Reference SQL, Groff

et al., McGraw-Hill.

1.11) Is PostgreSQL Y2K compliant?

Yes, we easily handle dates past the year 2000 AD, and before 2000 BC.

1.12) How do I join the development team?

1.10) How do I join the development team?

First, download the latest source and read the PostgreSQL Developers

documentation on our web site, or in the distribution. Second,

and we had confidence that patches they committed were of high

quality.

1.13) How do I submit a bug report?

1.11) How do I submit a bug report?

Visit the PostgreSQL bug form at

http://www.postgresql.org/support/submitbug.

Also check out our ftp site ftp://ftp.PostgreSQL.org/pub to see if

there is a more recent PostgreSQL version or patches.

1.14) How does PostgreSQL compare to other DBMSs?

1.12) How does PostgreSQL compare to other DBMSs?

There are several ways of measuring software: features, performance,

reliability, support, and price.

community, manuals, and the source code often make PostgreSQL

support superior to other DBMSs. There is commercial

per-incident support available for those who need it. (See FAQ

section 1.6.)

section 1.5.)

Price

We are free for all use, both commercial and non-commercial.

You can add our code to your product with no limitations,

except those outlined in our BSD-style license stated above.

1.15) How can I financially assist PostgreSQL?

1.13) How can I financially assist PostgreSQL?

PostgreSQL has had a first-class infrastructure since we started in

1996. This is all thanks to Marc Fournier, who has created and managed

alink="#0000ff">

<H1>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for PostgreSQL</H1>

<P>Last updated: Sat Jan 29 21:05:17 EST 2005</P>

<P>Last updated: Sat Jan 29 21:21:25 EST 2005</P>

<P>Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian (<Ahref=

"mailto:pgman@candle.pha.pa.us">pgman@candle.pha.pa.us</A>)<BR>

<H2align="center">General Questions</H2>

<Ahref="#1.1">1.1</A>) What is PostgreSQL? How is it pronounced?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.2">1.2</A>) What is the copyright on PostgreSQL?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.3">1.3</A>) What Unix platforms does PostgreSQL run

on?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.4">1.4</A>) What non-Unix ports are available?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.5">1.5</A>) Where can I get PostgreSQL?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.6">1.6</A>) Where can I get support?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.7">1.7</A>) What is the latest release?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.8">1.8</A>) What documentation is available?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.9">1.9</A>) How do I find out about known bugs or

<Ahref="#1.3">1.3</A>) What platforms does PostgreSQL support?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.4">1.4</A>) Where can I get PostgreSQL?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.5">1.5</A>) Where can I get support?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.6">1.6</A>) What is the latest release?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.7">1.7</A>) What documentation is available?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.8">1.8</A>) How do I find out about known bugs or

missing features?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.10">1.10</A>) How can I learn<SMALL>SQL</SMALL>?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.11">1.11</A>) Is PostgreSQL Y2K compliant?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.12">1.12</A>) How do I join the development team?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.13">1.13</A>) How do I submit a bug report?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.14">1.14</A>) How does PostgreSQL compare to other

<Ahref="#1.9">1.9</A>) How can I learn<SMALL>SQL</SMALL>?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.10">1.10</A>) How do I join the development team?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.11">1.11</A>) How do I submit a bug report?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.12">1.12</A>) How does PostgreSQL compare to other

<SMALL>DBMS</SMALL>s?<BR>

<Ahref="#1.15">1.15</A>) How can I financially assist

<Ahref="#1.13">1.13</A>) How can I financially assist

PostgreSQL?<BR>

It has no restrictions on how the source code may be used. We like

it and have no intention of changing it.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.3">1.3</A>) What Unix platforms does PostgreSQL run

on?</H4>

<H4><Aname="1.3">1.3</A>) What platforms does PostgreSQL support?</H4>

<P>In general, any modern Unix-compatible platform should be able to

run PostgreSQL. The platforms that had received explicit testing at

the time of release are listed in the installation

instructions.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.4">1.4</A>) What non-Unix ports are available?</H4>

<P>Starting with version 8.0, PostgreSQL now runs natively on

Microsoft Windows NT-based operating systems like Win2000, WinXP,

and Win2003. A prepackaged installer is available at<ahref=

"http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/cgi-bin/h-search?sh=1&button=Search&key=postgreSQL&stype=all&sort=type&dir=%2F">

http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/cgi-bin/h-search?sh=1&button=Search&key=postgreSQL&stype=all&sort=type&dir=%2F</a>.</p>

<H4><Aname="1.5">1.5</A>) Where can I get PostgreSQL?</H4>

<H4><Aname="1.4">1.4</A>) Where can I get PostgreSQL?</H4>

<P>The primary anonymous ftp site for PostgreSQL is<Ahref=

"ftp://ftp.PostgreSQL.org/pub">ftp://ftp.PostgreSQL.org/pub</A>.

For mirror sites, see our main web site.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.6">1.6</A>) Where can I get support?</H4>

<H4><Aname="1.5">1.5</A>) Where can I get support?</H4>

<P>The main mailing list is:<Ahref=

"mailto:pgsql-general@PostgreSQL.org">pgsql-general@PostgreSQL.org</A>.

<P>A list of commercial support companies is available at<Ahref=

"http://techdocs.postgresql.org/companies.php">http://techdocs.postgresql.org/companies.php</A>.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.7">1.7</A>) What is the latest release?</H4>

<H4><Aname="1.6">1.6</A>) What is the latest release?</H4>

<P>The latest release of PostgreSQL is version 8.0.0.</P>

<P>We plan to have major releases every six to eight months.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.8">1.8</A>) What documentation is available?</H4>

<H4><Aname="1.7">1.7</A>) What documentation is available?</H4>

<P>Several manuals, manual pages, and some small test examples are

included in the distribution. See the<I>/doc</I> directory. You

<P>Our web site contains even more documentation.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.9">1.9</A>) How do I find out about known bugs or

<H4><Aname="1.8">1.8</A>) How do I find out about known bugs or

missing features?</H4>

<P>PostgreSQL supports an extended subset of<SMALL>SQL</SMALL>-92.

See our<Ahref="http://developer.PostgreSQL.org/todo.php">TODO</A>

list for known bugs, missing features, and future plans.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.10">1.10</A>) How can I learn

<H4><Aname="1.9">1.9</A>) How can I learn

<SMALL>SQL</SMALL>?</H4>

<P>The PostgreSQL book at<Ahref=

Bowman, Judith S., et al., Addison-Wesley. Others like<I>The

Complete Reference SQL</I>, Groff et al., McGraw-Hill.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.11">1.11</A>) Is PostgreSQL Y2K compliant?</H4>

<P>Yes, we easily handle dates past the year 2000 AD, and before

2000 BC.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.12">1.12</A>) How do I join the development

<H4><Aname="1.10">1.10</A>) How do I join the development

team?</H4>

<P>First, download the latest source and read the PostgreSQL

committers to keep up, and we had confidence that patches they

committed were of high quality.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.13">1.13</A>) How do I submit a bug report?</H4>

<H4><Aname="1.11">1.11</A>) How do I submit a bug report?</H4>

<P>Visit the PostgreSQL bug form at<Ahref=

"http://www.postgresql.org/support/submitbug">

"ftp://ftp.PostgreSQL.org/pub">ftp://ftp.PostgreSQL.org/pub</A> to

see if there is a more recent PostgreSQL version or patches.</P>

<H4><Aname="1.14">1.14</A>) How does PostgreSQL compare to other

<H4><Aname="1.12">1.12</A>) How does PostgreSQL compare to other

<SMALL>DBMS</SMALL>s?</H4>

<P>There are several ways of measuring software: features,

community, manuals, and the source code often make PostgreSQL

support superior to other<SMALL>DBMS</SMALL>s. There is

commercial per-incident support available for those who need it.

(See<Ahref="#1.6">FAQ section 1.6</A>.)<BR>

(See<Ahref="#1.5">FAQ section 1.5</A>.)<BR>

<H4><Aname="1.15">1.15</A>) How can I financially assist

<H4><Aname="1.13">1.13</A>) How can I financially assist

PostgreSQL?</H4>

<P>PostgreSQL has had a first-class infrastructure since we started