Documentation Resources
This manual set is organized into several parts:
Tutorial
An introduction for new users. Does not cover advanced features.
User's Guide
Documents the SQL query language environment, including data types
and functions.
Programmer's Guide
Advanced information for application programmers. Topics include
type and function extensibility, library interfaces,
and application design issues.
Administrator's Guide
Installation and server management information
Reference Manual
Reference pages for SQL command syntax and client and server programs
Developer's Guide
Information for Postgres developers.
This is intended for those who are contributing to the
Postgres project;
application development information should appear in the
Programmer's Guide.
In addition to this manual set, there are other resources to help you with
Postgres installation and use:
man pages
The Reference Manual's pages in the traditional
Unix man format.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) lists document both general issues
and some platform-specific issues.
READMEs
README files are available for some contributed packages.
Web Site
The PostgreSQL
web site carries details on the latest release, upcoming
features, and other information to make your work or play with
PostgreSQL more productive.
Mailing Lists
The pgsql-general@postgresql.org (archive)
mailing list is a good place to have user questions answered.
Other mailing lists are available; consult the User's
Lounge section of the PostgreSQL web site for details.
Yourself!
PostgreSQL is an open source effort.
As such, it depends on the user community for ongoing support.
As you begin to use PostgreSQL, you
will rely on others for help, either through the documentation
or through the mailing lists. Consider contributing your
knowledge back. If you learn something which is not in the
documentation, write it up and contribute it. If you add
features to the code, contribute it.
Even those without a lot of experience can provide corrections
and minor changes in the documentation, and that is a good way
to start. The pgsql-docs@postgresql.org (archive)
mailing list is the place to get going.