Standard PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is a powerful, open-source object-relational database system renowned for its robustness, feature set, and high performance. It strongly adheres to SQL standards and offers extensive extensibility, allowing users to define their own data types, functions, and operators, making it…

Key facts

First appeared
1996
Category
technology
Problem solved
The precursor to PostgreSQL, the POSTGRES project, was created to address the limitations of traditional relational database systems (like Ingres) in handling complex data types, object-oriented concepts, and extensible rule systems. It aimed to provide a more flexible and powerful database platform capable of supporting next-generation applications and user-defined functionality that strict relational models struggled with, while also offering strong data integrity and open-source availability.
Platforms
Linux, Other Unix-like systems, Solaris, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, macOS, Windows

Related technologies

Notable users

  • Netflix
  • Many government agencies and financial institutions
  • Spotify
  • Reddit
  • Uber
  • Deliveroo
  • Apple
  • Lyft
  • Instagram (historically, though now highly distributed)