PostgreSQL has become increasingly popular in recent years but many developers still don’t utilize the system to its full advantage. While many developers may be familiar with the basics of Postgres, such as creating tables and querying data, there are a number of advanced features that are worth learning for those who want to take their database skills to the next level.
What is Postgres?
PostgreSQL, commonly known as Postgres, is a powerful and open-source relational database management system that offers a variety of advanced features for developers and database administrators. Major companies like Meta, Spotify, Uber, Netflix, and more put their trust in Postgres. It’s often called the "gold standard" for databases, and for good reason: it's reliable, powerful, flexible, and extensible.
More than just a database engine, Postgres allows users to store, manage and query their data. However, it offers much more than just a database engine. Postgres has many features that you can use to extend its functionality in order to meet your specific needs.
What are some of Postgres’ more advanced features—and why might it be worth investing in acquiring these skills?
Discover a better way to manage your databases
- Information Schema as a Meta-data Source
- Learning this schema provides a standard way of accessing metadata about database objects, including tables, views, and columns, which can help developers and administrators better understand and manage their databases.
Optimize database operations and improve application performance.
- Subqueries, Upsert Statements, and Common Table Expressions
- These features allow for more efficient, robust, and flexible querying and data manipulation.
Complex calculations
- Window Functions
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Window functions are used to perform calculations across a set of rows that are related to the current row. These can be used to calculate running totals, rankings, and more.
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Complex Handle Intricate data relationships
- Advanced Join Operations
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Postgres provides flexible ways to combine data from multiple tables, including outer joins, self-joins, and cross joins, which can help developers optimize their database queries.
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Deliver valuable insights into complex data sets.
- Set Operations and Grouping Sets
- Allows developers to combine and aggregate data from multiple queries flexibly, which can help optimize database performance.
Ensure data consistency and integrity
- Table Transactions
- Group multiple SQL statements into a single, atomic operation, and roll back the entire operation if any part of the transaction fails.
Define custom database logic and automate tasks
- Stored Procedures, Triggers, and Views with Triggers
- Update related data or enforce business rules, through the use of stored procedures, triggers, and views with triggers.
Achieve a unified view of data from multiple systems.
- Foreign Data Wrapper
- Allows developers to seamlessly integrate data from external sources into their database, providing a harmonious view of data.
A logical approach to semi-structured and unstructured data
- JSONB Data Type
- The JSONB data type in Postgres allows developers to store and manipulate JSON documents directly in the database, providing a logical way to work with semi-structured and unstructured data—which is increasingly common in modern applications.
Leverage the full power of Python
- Python Inside Postgres
- With the ability to execute Python code directly inside the database, developers can utilize the entire capability of Python for tasks such as data analysis and machine learning without requiring external libraries or tools.
Load heavy data faster
- Ingesting Data from Inside Postgres
- Postgres's COPY command allows for high-speed loading of data into the database from various sources, including CSV files and other databases, making it easy to ingest large amounts of data into a Postgres database.
Learning Postgres' most advanced features are crucial for any data practitioner looking to up their database skills.
From ensuring data consistency and integrity to seamlessly integrating data from external sources, Postgres's advanced features offer a range of benefits that can help developers tackle real-world database challenges.
Whether you're looking to update your skill set or explore new database technologies, Divergence Academy's Advanced Postgres course is the perfect place to start. So why wait? Sign up for the April 15th course today and unlock the full potential of Postgres's advanced features!
