PostgreSQL Tutorial

History of PostgreSQL

The POSTGRES project at the University of California, Berkeley, which started in 1986, is where PostgreSQL had its start. Michael Stonebraker, who is regarded as one of the founders of the relational database management system (RDBMS) industry, served as the project manager for the POSTGRES initiative.

An improved version of POSTGRES named Postgres95 was released in 1994 by Andrew Yu and Jolly Chen. This version has been 25% smaller and entirely rewritten in ANSI C. Numerous internal adjustments greatly enhanced performance and maintainability. After that, Postgres95, an open-source offspring of the original POSTGRES Berkeley code, was made available on the web for users to explore independently.

The PostgreSQL project replaced the Postgres95 project in 1996. A team of global volunteers is currently in charge of the PostgreSQL project. Relational database management system (RDBMS) PostgreSQL is free and open-source, focusing on extensibility and SQL conformance. To replace the Ingres database system, it was first created at the University of California, Berkeley.

One of the most widely used open-source RDBMSs today is PostgreSQL. Many significant businesses and a wide range of other organisations use it.

Features of PostgreSQL 

Here are some features of PostgreSQL.

Availability: PostgreSQL uses the idea of standby servers to promote increased uptime, resulting in high availability.

Strong Architecture: PostgreSQL enables developers to create fault-tolerant applications that encourage data integrity because of its robust 
PostgreSQL architecture.

Inheritance: PostgreSQL enables inheritance, allowing users to create clean tables that model the architecture of their models. 

Window Functions: Window functions in PostgreSQL enable advanced data analysis and calculations over a subset of rows based on specific criteria. They are specified using the OVER clause in a SELECT statement, providing greater data analysis and processing flexibility.

Foreign Key Referential Integrity: Foreign key referential integrity in PostgreSQL ensures data accuracy by enforcing relationships between tables. It allows tables to reference the primary keys of other tables, preventing inconsistencies by throwing an error if an attempted operation violates the relationship.

Strong Community: Postgres community members have worked on it in such a way that it is compatible with the majority of well-known operating systems. 

Installing PostgreSQL

Step 1: Visit the official website of PostgreSQL. 

https://www.postgresql.org/download/

Step 2: You'll see the package and installers for different operating systems on the download page. Download as per your requirements.

Step 3: On clicking the Operating system, you want to download PostgreSQL. You'll see an option "Download the installer". 

Step 4: After clicking on "Download the installer,". You'll see a page certified by EBD on which different versions of PostgreSQL exist. Download as per your requirements.

Step 5: Your PostgreSQL will be downloaded after downloading. Let us look at the steps of installing PostgreSQL.

Step 6: Now open the exe file you downloaded and click Next.

Step 7: In the next step, select the location where PostgreSQL will be installed.

Step 8: Select the components you want to install or keep as default.

Step 9: In this step, select the location where your data will be stored.

Step 10: Enter the password.

Step 11: Enter the port number or keep it default.

Step 12: Now you can check the Pre Installation Summary.

Step 13: Now, your PostgreSQL is ready to install.

Step 14: Select the applications you want to install once your PostgreSQL is installed.

Step 15: After installing the applications. Now open pgAdmin4. 

Step 16: Now, on the server option, select the server and enter the password you saved for Postgres.

Step 17: Now, you'll see the dashboard page, and you've installed PostgreSQL.

Moving forward in PostgreSQL Tutorial. Let us look at how PostgreSQL is different from SQL.

PostgreSQL Database Administration

A PostgreSQL database is managed by a PostgreSQL Database Administration (DBA) procedure. This includes undertakings like:

1. Establishing and operating databases
    
2. Making users and controlling permissions
    
3. Checking the database for faults and performance
    
4. Database backup and restoration
    
5. Optimising the database's performance
    
6. Preventing unauthorised access to the database

PostgreSQL DBAs must be very familiar with PostgreSQL and its features. Additionally, they need to be comfortable using the command line and the Linux operating system.

Advantages of PostgreSQL

Here are a few benefits of PostgreSQL:

• PostgreSQL is free and open source.
   
• It guarantees that every transaction is atomic, consistent, isolated, and long-lasting. This means that regardless of a power loss or other disruption, your data is always safe and secure.
   
• PostgreSQL has a high degree of extensibility. To suit your unique requirements, you can add your own functions, operators, and data types.
   
• PostgreSQL has excellent scalability. It is scalable to accommodate the requirements of expanding organisations.
   
• PostgreSQL is quite dependable. It has a long history of uptime and stability in industrial applications and is widely utilised.
   
• PostgreSQL has excellent security. Numerous security mechanisms, including encryption and authentication, are supported.

Disadvantages of PostgreSQL

The following are some disadvantages of PostgreSQL:

• PostgreSQL is a sophisticated database system. For beginners in particular, this might make it challenging to learn and utilise.
   
• For some tasks, such joins, PostgreSQL can be slow.
   
• PostgreSQL has a significant learning curve. Learning how to utilise PostgreSQL successfully can take some time.
   
• PostgreSQL administration can be challenging. The case for sizable databases is particularly valid.
   
• Not as popular as other RDBMSs: Oracle, MySQL, and PostgreSQL are some examples of other RDBMSs that are more widely used. It may be challenging to locate help and documentation as a result.

Common Use Cases of PostgreSQL

Large storage: PostgreSQL can store and manage a huge amount of data over time.

E-commerce Platform: PostgreSQL works well for e-commerce platforms that require product catalogs, inventory, customer orders, and payment information to be managed. It enables complicated querying, indexing, and transactional processes, providing the consistent and dependable management of crucial e-commerce data.

Data Warehousing: PostgreSQL can be used to store and analyze massive amounts of structured and semi-structured data as a data warehouse. You may efficiently process and analyze data for business intelligence and decision-making by leveraging its advanced indexing, segmentation, and parallel query execution features.

Geographic Information Systems: PostgreSQL, along with PostGIS, is a popular backend for GIS applications. Geospatial data, such as maps, locations of interest, spatial boundaries, and routes, can be stored and managed.

Real-Time Collaboration Tools: PostgreSQL can be used as the database backbone for real-time collaboration applications, including chat platforms, project management tools, and collaborative document editing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Postgres easy to learn?

Particularly for people who are already familiar with SQL, learning PostgreSQL is rather simple. It is accessible thanks to the community's cooperation and substantial documentation. To master advanced features, nevertheless, you might need more time and practise.

How to learn PostgreSQL step by step?

Start with SQL fundamentals. Install a client application and PostgreSQL. Examine the guides and official paperwork. Develop your database creation, querying, and management skills. Examine more complex subjects, such as replication and indexing. For support and information, join the PostgreSQL community.

How do I start learning PostgreSQL?

Install a client tool and PostgreSQL first. Then, adhere to the instructions in the tutorials and manuals, practise writing SQL queries, and eventually delve into more complex subjects like performance tuning and security.

What is PostgreSQL used for?

Web development, data warehousing, geospatial data storage, and more applications employ the flexible relational database PostgreSQL. Its dependability, extensibility, and open-source status make it valuable.

Conclusion

In this article, you have learned about the PostgreSQL Tutorial in-depth, the installation of PostgreSQL, its features, and how it is different from SQL. Lastly, we learned about the advantages and disadvantages of PostgreSQL. You can refer to other similar articles as well - 

• PostgreSQL - Data types
   
• Concept of Inheritance with PostgreSQL
   
• Explain the Architecture Fundamentals in PostgreSQL.

Happy Learning, Ninja!