PostgreSQL: Up and Running

Chapter 1. The Basics

In this chapter, we’ll cover the basics of getting started with PostgreSQL. This includes where to get binaries and drivers, what’s new and exciting in the latest 9.2 release, common administration tools, PostgreSQL nomenclature, and where to turn for help.

Where to Get PostgreSQL

Years ago, if you wanted PostgreSQL, you had to compile it from source. Thankfully, those days are gone. Granted, you can still compile should you so choose, but most users nowadays get their PostgreSQL with a prepackaged installer. A few clicks or keystrokes, and you’re on your way in 10 minutes or less.

If you’re installing PostgreSQL for the first time and have no existing database to upgrade, you should always install the latest stable release version for your OS. http://www.postgresql.org/download maintains a listing of places where you can download PostgreSQL binaries. In Installation Guides and Distributions, you’ll find installation guides and some other additional custom distributions that people we’ve talked to seem to like.

Notable PostgreSQL Forks

The fact that PostgreSQL has MIT/BSD style licensing makes it a great candidate for forking. Various groups have done exactly that over the years. Some have contributed their changes. Netezza, a popular database choice for data warehousing workloads, in its inception was a PostgreSQL fork. GreenPlum, used for data warehousing and analyzing petabytes of information, was a spinoff of Bizgres, which was a community-driven spinoff of ...