September 26, 2024: PostgreSQL 17 Released!
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Appendix DG2. Documentation

The purpose of documentation is to make Postgres easier to learn, use, and develop. The documentation set should describe the Postgres system, language, and interfaces. It should be able to answer common questions and to allow a user to find those answers on his own without resorting to mailing list support.

Documentation Roadmap

Postgres has four primary documentation formats:

  • Plain text for pre-installation information.

  • HTML, for on-line browsing and reference.

  • Hardcopy, for in-depth reading and reference.

  • man pages, for quick reference.

Table DG2-1. Postgres Documentation Products

File Description
./COPYRIGHT Copyright notice
./INSTALL Installation instructions (text from sgml->rtf->text)
./README Introductory info
./register.txt Registration message during make
./doc/bug.template Bug report template
./doc/postgres.tar.gz Integrated docs (HTML)
./doc/programmer.ps.gz Programmer's Guide (Postscript)
./doc/programmer.tar.gz Programmer's Guide (HTML)
./doc/reference.ps.gz Reference Manual (Postscript)
./doc/reference.tar.gz Reference Manual (HTML)
./doc/tutorial.ps.gz Introduction (Postscript)
./doc/tutorial.tar.gz Introduction (HTML)
./doc/user.ps.gz User's Guide (Postscript)
./doc/user.tar.gz User's Guide (HTML)

There are man pages available, as well as a large number of plain-text README-type files throughout the Postgres source tree.