PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL, often simply known as Postgres, is an advanced, open-source, object-relational database system. Here are some key points about PostgreSQL:
History
- PostgreSQL was derived from the Postgres project at the University of California, Berkeley, which began in 1986 under the leadership of Michael Stonebraker. The goal was to add advanced data types and capabilities to the relational database model.
- In 1996, after a series of enhancements and the addition of SQL language support, the project was renamed to PostgreSQL to reflect its support for SQL.
Features
- SQL Compliance: PostgreSQL is highly compliant with SQL standards, supporting complex queries, subqueries, window functions, and more.
- Extensibility: Users can define their own data types, operators, aggregate functions, and index methods. This extensibility allows for significant customization.
- ACID Compliance: PostgreSQL ensures that all transactions are processed reliably, maintaining data integrity.
- Advanced Data Types: Supports various data types including geometric types, network address types, JSON, XML, and arrays.
- Full-Text Search: Provides built-in full-text search capabilities which can be used for searching through text documents or databases.
- Replication: Offers both synchronous and asynchronous streaming replication for high availability and data protection.
- Multi-Version Concurrency Control (MVCC): Allows for consistent read operations without locking, improving concurrency.
Usage and Community
- PostgreSQL is used by numerous organizations ranging from startups to large enterprises due to its robustness, scalability, and feature-rich environment.
- It has a large, active community that contributes to its development, supports its users, and maintains documentation.
Development and Licensing
Performance and Scalability
- PostgreSQL is designed for high performance with features like table partitioning, parallel query execution, and advanced indexing techniques.
- It supports both vertical and horizontal scaling, allowing for the management of large databases with high concurrency.
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