PostgreSQL 7.3.5 Reference Manual

The PostgreSQL Global Development Group


Table of Contents
Preface
I. SQL Commands
ABORT --  abort the current transaction
ALTER DATABASE -- change a database
ALTER GROUP --  add users to a group or remove users from a group
ALTER TABLE --  change the definition of a table
ALTER TRIGGER --  change the definition of a trigger
ALTER USER -- change a database user account
ANALYZE --  collect statistics about a database
BEGIN --  start a transaction block
CHECKPOINT -- force a transaction log checkpoint
CLOSE --  close a cursor
CLUSTER --  cluster a table according to an index
COMMENT --  define or change the comment of an object
COMMIT --  commit the current transaction
COPY --  copy data between files and tables
CREATE AGGREGATE --  define a new aggregate function
CREATE CAST -- define a user-defined cast
CREATE CONSTRAINT TRIGGER --  define a new constraint trigger
CREATE CONVERSION -- define a user-defined conversion
CREATE DATABASE --  create a new database
CREATE DOMAIN --  define a new domain
CREATE FUNCTION -- define a new function
CREATE GROUP --  define a new user group
CREATE INDEX --  define a new index
CREATE LANGUAGE -- define a new procedural language
CREATE OPERATOR --  define a new operator
CREATE OPERATOR CLASS --  define a new operator class for indexes
CREATE RULE --  define a new rewrite rule
CREATE SCHEMA --  define a new schema
CREATE SEQUENCE --  define a new sequence generator
CREATE TABLE -- define a new table
CREATE TABLE AS -- create a new table from the results of a query
CREATE TRIGGER --  define a new trigger
CREATE TYPE --  define a new data type
CREATE USER -- define a new database user account
CREATE VIEW --  define a new view
DEALLOCATE --  remove a prepared query
DECLARE --  define a cursor
DELETE --  delete rows of a table
DROP AGGREGATE --  remove a user-defined aggregate function
DROP CAST -- remove a user-defined cast
DROP CONVERSION -- remove a user-defined conversion
DROP DATABASE --  remove a database
DROP DOMAIN --  remove a user-defined domain
DROP FUNCTION --  remove a user-defined function
DROP GROUP --  remove a user group
DROP INDEX --  remove an index
DROP LANGUAGE --  remove a user-defined procedural language
DROP OPERATOR --  remove a user-defined operator
DROP OPERATOR CLASS --  remove a user-defined operator class
DROP RULE --  remove a rewrite rule
DROP SCHEMA --  remove a schema
DROP SEQUENCE --  remove a sequence
DROP TABLE --  remove a table
DROP TRIGGER --  remove a trigger
DROP TYPE --  remove a user-defined data type
DROP USER -- remove a database user account
DROP VIEW --  remove a view
END --  commit the current transaction
EXECUTE --  execute a prepared query
EXPLAIN --  show the execution plan of a statement
FETCH --  retrieve rows from a table using a cursor
GRANT -- define access privileges
INSERT --  create new rows in a table
LISTEN --  listen for a notification
LOAD -- load or reload a shared library file
LOCK --  explicitly lock a table
MOVE --  position a cursor on a specified row of a table
NOTIFY --  generate a notification
PREPARE --  create a prepared query
REINDEX --  rebuild corrupted indexes
RESET -- restore the value of a run-time parameter to a default value
REVOKE -- remove access privileges
ROLLBACK --  abort the current transaction
SELECT --  retrieve rows from a table or view
SELECT INTO --  create a new table from the results of a query
SET -- change a run-time parameter
SET CONSTRAINTS -- set the constraint mode of the current transaction
SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION -- set the session user identifier and the current user identifier of the current session
SET TRANSACTION -- set the characteristics of the current transaction
SHOW -- show the value of a run-time parameter
START TRANSACTION -- start a transaction block
TRUNCATE --  empty a table
UNLISTEN --  stop listening for a notification
UPDATE --  update rows of a table
VACUUM --  garbage-collect and optionally analyze a database
II. PostgreSQL Client Applications
clusterdb -- cluster a PostgreSQL database
createdb -- create a new PostgreSQL database
createlang -- define a new PostgreSQL procedural language
createuser -- define a new PostgreSQL user account
dropdb -- remove a PostgreSQL database
droplang -- remove a PostgreSQL procedural language
dropuser -- remove a PostgreSQL user account
ecpg -- embedded SQL C preprocessor
pg_config -- retrieve information about the installed version of PostgreSQL
pg_dump --  extract a PostgreSQL database into a script file or other archive file
pg_dumpall -- extract a PostgreSQL database cluster into a script file
pg_restore --  restore a PostgreSQL database from an archive file created by pg_dump
psql --  PostgreSQL interactive terminal
pgtclsh --  PostgreSQL Tcl shell client
pgtksh --  PostgreSQL Tcl/Tk shell client
vacuumdb -- garbage-collect and analyze a PostgreSQL database
III. PostgreSQL Server Applications
initdb -- create a new PostgreSQL database cluster
initlocation -- create a secondary PostgreSQL database storage area
ipcclean -- remove shared memory and semaphores from an aborted PostgreSQL server
pg_ctl -- start, stop, or restart a PostgreSQL server
pg_controldata -- display server-wide control information
pg_resetxlog -- reset write-ahead log and pg_control contents
postgres -- run a PostgreSQL server in single-user mode
postmaster -- PostgreSQL multiuser database server