PostgreSQL is an object-relational database server that is widely considered to be the world s most advanced open-source database system. It is ANSI SQL-compatible, and it offers powerful features to enable more complex software design than would be possible with relational databases that are not object-oriented. PostgreSQL is extremely modular, it supports a large number of datatypes, and programming interfaces for PostgreSQL are available for all important programming languages, including C, Perl, Python, Tcl, Java, and PHP.

PostgreSQL Developer s Handbook provides a complete overview of the PostgreSQL database server and extensive coverage of its core features, including object orientation, PL/pgSQL, and the most important programming interfaces. The book introduces the reader to the language and syntax of PostgreSQL and then moves quickly into advanced programming topics.