PostgreSQL is an open-source object-relational database management system (ORDBMS). ORDBMSs are a type of relational database management system (RDBMS), but they go beyond RDBMSs by supporting some of the principles of object-oriented programming. PostgreSQL is extremely popular amongst database designers, developers and administrators, as it offers a wide range of features, such as stored procedures, triggers, support for external data stores and SQL compatibility.

History

The history of PostgreSQL dates back to 1985, when the POSTGRES project was launched at the University of California, Berkeley, with the aim of developing a new object-relational database management system (ORDBMS). The POSTGRES project was led by Michael Stonebraker, who had previously worked on the Ingres database management system.

In the early 1990s, the POSTGRES project was completed and the system was made available to the public. Subsequently, other developers continued work on the system and added new features. In 1996, the system began to be referred to as PostgreSQL for the first time.

In recent years, the popularity of PostgreSQL has grown significantly, and today numerous large companies, including Apple, Red Hat and Yahoo, use this database management system. PostgreSQL’s popularity is driven by the system’s high performance, excellent scalability, support for multiple databases and extensive support for data types.

The open-source nature of PostgreSQL allows developers to freely access the system’s source code and modify it to suit their own needs. The system supports the SQL language, which enables developers to manage their databases using SQL.

Areas of application for PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL has a wide range of applications, including web applications, business applications, geoinformation databases, government systems, corporate databases and much more. The system’s popularity is due to its high performance, excellent scalability and extensive support for data types, which enables developers to use the system for a variety of database management tasks. The open-source nature of PostgreSQL allows developers to freely access the system’s source code and modify it to suit their own needs. The database management system supports the SQL language, which enables developers to manage their databases using SQL.