Summary

As you can see, PostgreSQL offers a data type to fit almost every need. In this chapter, I've described each data type included in a standard PostgreSQL distribution. The syntax for literal values may seem a bit contrived for some of the data types, but the fact that PostgreSQL allows you to define new data types requires a few concessions (fortunately, very few).

I've listed all the standard operators in this chapter because they are a bit under-documented in the PostgreSQL User's Guide. Functions, on the other hand, are well documented (as well as constantly changing)—refer to Chapter 4 of the PostgreSQL User's Guide for an up-to-date list of functions.

In Chapter 3, we'll explore a variety of topics that should round out your knowledge of PostgreSQL from the perspective of a user. Later chapters will cover PostgreSQL programming and PostgreSQL administration.