Practical PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL, first developed in 1977 as the Ingres database by the University of California at Berkeley, is an open source, object-relational database management system. It is arguably the most capable of all the open source databases. This text provides a guide to installation, configuration and usage. It shows how to compile PostgreSQL from source, create a database and configure PostgreSQL to accept client-server connections. The book also delves into the application's many advanced features, such as support for transactions, versioning, replication, and various referential integrity features. PostgreSQL's PL/pgSQL programming language, a very useful but under-documented feature, is introduced explaining how it can be used to develop stored procedures and triggers. The book inclues a command reference.

Table of Contents:
Preface PART 1: Introduction & Installation Chapter 1. What Is PostgreSQL? Open Source Free Version PostgreSQL Feature Set Where to Proceed from Here Chapter 2. Installing PostgreSQL Preparing for Installation 10 Steps to Installing PostgreSQL PART 2: Using PostgreSQL Chapter 3. Understanding SQL Introduction to SQL Introduction to Relational Databases SQL Statements Data Types Tables in PostgreSQL Chapter 4. Using SQL with PostgreSQL Introduction to psql Using Tables Adding Data with INSERT and COPY Retrieving Rows with SELECT Modifying Rows with UPDATE Removing Rows with DELETE Using Sub-Queries Using Views Further SQL Application Chapter 5. Operators and Functions Operators Functions Chapter 6. PostgreSQL Clients The psql Client: Advanced Topics PgAccess: A Graphical Client Chapter 7. Advanced Features Indices Advanced Table Techniques Arrays Automating Common Routines Transactions and Cursors Extending PostgreSQL PART 3: Administrating PostgreSQL Chapter 8. Authentication and Encryption Client Authentication Encrypting Sessions Chapter 9. Database Management Starting and Stopping PostgreSQL Initializing the Filesystem Creating and Removing a Database Maintaining a Database Backing Up and Restoring Data Chapter 10. User and Group Management Managing Users Managing Groups Granting Privileges PART 4: PostgreSQL Programming Chapter 11. PL/pgSQL Adding PL/pgSQL to Your Database Language Structure Using Variables Controlling Program Flow PL/pgSQL and Triggers Chapter 12. JDBC Building the PostgreSQL JDBC Driver Using the PostgreSQL Driver Using JDBC Issues Specific to PostgreSQL and JDBC Chapter 13. LXP Why Use LXP? Core Features Installing and Configuring LXP Understanding LXP Mark-Up LXP Variables and Objects Using Cookies with LXP Tag Parsing Branching Logic Loop Iteration Content Inclusion Displaying Foreign Tags with PART 5: Command Reference Chapter 14. PostgreSQL Command Reference Appendix A. Multibyte Encoding Types Appendix B. Backend Options for postgres Appendix C. Binary COPY Format Appendix D. Internal psql Variables Index