Database management solutions come in many different forms. They all provide several options for storing data. While some are paid, others are open-source and free. Additionally, some have their infrastructure on the cloud, and others are deployed on a local network. A strong, open-source relational database management system with a reputation for stability, extensibility, and support for cutting-edge features and data types is PostgreSQL, one of these database managers. This article outlines the primary benefits of PostgreSQL database design.
What is PostgreSQL database design?
PostgreSQL is, in general, an object-oriented database manager that utilizes relational databases. Since it’s open-source software, it doesn’t belong to any one corporation and instead has a development community that works to enhance the PostgreSQL database design.
Main advantages of PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL database design has become one of the most widely used by users thanks to the fact that it offers a series of advantages that are worth highlighting.
Its installation and use is free.
Being an open-source program, it can be downloaded completely free of charge. Anyone can download it from the official website and create a user to use this database at no cost. This gives it an important advantage over paid database systems.
Multi-platform availability
Another of the great advantages that it shares with other open-source software is that it is compatible with numerous operating systems and can also be developed on various web servers, for example, LiteSpeed or Apache, among many others.
Easy setup
Any customer can configure PostgreSQL database design quickly and easily. The administration is also made fairly easy by using Windows with PgAmin, which is the same as the typical phpMyAdmin used by other databases such as WordPress, but in this case, specifically geared towards PostgreSQL.
Lots of advanced options
SQL Postgres also offers great flexibility when developing projects. PostgreSQL database design, in addition to having numerous advanced options, also allows you to insert new functions through various programming languages, for example, PL/pgSQL, PL/Tcl, PL/Perl, PL/Python, PL/PHP, PL/Ruby or PL/Java.
Works with the SQL standard
PostgreSQL database design utilizes SQL, the most commonly employed language for relational databases. SQL is standardized by ANSI, the official standards organization in the United States, ensuring its broad acceptance and consistency in managing relational data.
High reliability and robustness system
It is a database manager that is characterized by its great reliability. Each new version or update of the PostgreSQL database design program is reviewed by members of the community so that errors are detected and corrected quickly. The result is a very stable and efficient manager.
Multi-version concurrency control (MVCC)
The use of PostgreSQL database design is also characterized by its multiversion concurrency control function or MVCC. This feature allows you to add to the transactions an image of the state of the database. In this way the transactions are more consistent, impacting positively on the performance of the program.
Hot-Standby
One of the most notable features of PostgreSQL is its Hot-Standby option. This feature allows you to perform read-only queries while the program is in standby or recovery mode. This allows you to continue performing upgrade or maintenance tasks without disabling the program.
Query Tool
On the other hand, PgAdmin contains another very interesting tool called Query Tool. Thanks to it, you can execute SQL commands and it offers the option of analyzing the database graphically. This allows you to have a more visual idea of the database content and perform queries much more effectively.
Winding it up
In conclusion, PostgreSQL database design stands out as a versatile and robust solution for managing relational databases. Its open-source nature ensures accessibility and continuous improvement by a dedicated community of developers. Key advantages include its cost-free installation, multi-platform compatibility, and ease of setup with tools like PgAmin. Additionally, PostgreSQL offers extensive advanced options and supports various programming languages, enhancing its flexibility for diverse projects. Its adherence to the SQL standard, coupled with high reliability and features like multiversion concurrency control (MVCC) and Hot-Standby, make PostgreSQL a reliable and efficient choice. The Query Tool further enhances its usability, making PostgreSQL a leading choice for both novice and experienced database administrators.