PostgreSQL 7.1.3 Reference Manual

The PostgreSQL Global Development Group


Table of Contents
I. SQL Commands
ABORT --  Aborts the current transaction
ALTER GROUP --  Add users to a group, remove users from a group
ALTER TABLE --  Modifies table properties
ALTER USER --  Modifies user account information
BEGIN --  Begins a transaction in chained mode
CHECKPOINT -- Force transaction log checkpoint
CLOSE --  Close a cursor
CLUSTER --  Gives storage clustering advice to the server
COMMENT --  Add comment to an object
COMMIT --  Commits the current transaction
COPY --  Copies data between files and tables
CREATE AGGREGATE --  Defines a new aggregate function
CREATE CONSTRAINT TRIGGER --  Create a trigger to support a constraint
CREATE DATABASE --  Creates a new database
CREATE FUNCTION --  Defines a new function
CREATE GROUP --  Creates a new group
CREATE INDEX --  Constructs a secondary index
CREATE LANGUAGE --  Defines a new language for functions
CREATE OPERATOR --  Defines a new user operator
CREATE RULE --  Defines a new rule
CREATE SEQUENCE --  Creates a new sequence number generator
CREATE TABLE --  Creates a new table
CREATE TABLE AS --  Creates a new table from the results of a SELECT
CREATE TRIGGER --  Creates a new trigger
CREATE TYPE --  Defines a new base data type
CREATE USER --  Creates a new database user
CREATE VIEW --  Constructs a virtual table
DECLARE --  Defines a cursor for table access
DELETE --  Removes rows from a table
DROP AGGREGATE --  Removes the definition of an aggregate function
DROP DATABASE --  Removes an existing database
DROP FUNCTION --  Removes a user-defined C function
DROP GROUP --  Removes a group
DROP INDEX --  Removes existing indexes from a database
DROP LANGUAGE --  Removes a user-defined procedural language
DROP OPERATOR --  Removes an operator from the database
DROP RULE --  Removes existing rules from the database
DROP SEQUENCE --  Removes existing sequences from a database
DROP TABLE --  Removes existing tables from a database
DROP TRIGGER --  Removes the definition of a trigger
DROP TYPE --  Removes user-defined types from the system catalogs
DROP USER --  Removes a user
DROP VIEW --  Removes existing views from a database
END --  Commits the current transaction
EXPLAIN --  Shows statement execution plan
FETCH --  Gets rows using a cursor
GRANT --  Grants access privilege to a user, a group or all users
INSERT --  Inserts new rows into a table
LISTEN --  Listen for a response on a notify condition
LOAD --  Dynamically loads an object file
LOCK --  Explicitly lock a table inside a transaction
MOVE --  Moves cursor position
NOTIFY --  Signals all frontends and backends listening on a notify condition
REINDEX --  Recover corrupted system indexes under stand-alone Postgres
RESET -- Restores run-time parameters to default values
REVOKE --  Revokes access privilege from a user, a group or all users.
ROLLBACK --  Aborts the current transaction
SELECT --  Retrieves rows from a table or view
SELECT INTO --  Creates a new table from the results of a SELECT
SET -- Set run-time parameters
SET CONSTRAINTS -- Set the constraint mode of the current SQL-transaction
SET TRANSACTION -- Set the characteristics of the current SQL-transaction
SHOW -- Shows run-time parameters
TRUNCATE --  Empty a table
UNLISTEN --  Stop listening for notification
UPDATE --  Replaces values of columns in a table
VACUUM --  Clean and analyze a Postgres database
II. PostgreSQL Client Applications
createdb -- Create a new Postgres database
createuser -- Create a new Postgres user
dropdb -- Remove an existing Postgres database
dropuser -- Drops (removes) a Postgres user
ecpg --  Embedded SQL C preprocessor
pgaccess -- PostgreSQL graphical client
pgadmin --  Postgres database management and design tool for Windows 95/98/NT
pg_config -- Provides information about the installed version of PostgreSQL
pg_dump --  Extract a Postgres database into a script file or other archive file
pg_dumpall -- Extract all databases into a script file
pg_restore --  Restore a Postgres database from an archive file created by pg_dump
psql --  Postgres interactive terminal
pgtclsh --  PostgreSQL Tcl shell client
pgtksh --  PostgreSQL Tcl/Tk shell client
vacuumdb -- Clean and analyze a Postgres database
III. PostgreSQL Server Applications
createlang -- Add a new programming language to a Postgres database
droplang -- Remove a programming language from a Postgres database
initdb -- Create a new Postgres database cluster
initlocation -- Create a secondary Postgres database storage area
ipcclean -- Clean up shared memory and semaphores from aborted backends
pg_ctl -- Starts, stops, or restarts postmaster
pg_passwd -- Manipulate a text password file
postgres -- Run a PostgreSQL single-user backend
postmaster -- PostgreSQL multi-user database server
List of Examples
1. Example of a circular rewrite rule combination: