Getting Started with PostgreSQL
The PostgreSQL language, primarily SQL (Structured Query Language), is the standard language for interacting with the PostgreSQL database. SQL is used to define the structure of the database (Data Definition Language or DDL), manipulate the data (Data Manipulation Language or DML), control access (Data Control Language or DCL), and query the data (Data Query Language or DQL). In addition to standard SQL, PostgreSQL supports procedural languages like PL/pgSQL, which allows for writing complex functions and triggers with control structures, error handling, and more. This makes PostgreSQL a versatile and powerful tool for database management, providing both simplicity for basic queries and advanced features for complex database operations. The extensibility of PostgreSQL allows users to define custom functions, operators, and data types, enhancing the database's capabilities beyond the typical relational model.