An Introduction to Queries in PostgreSQL

Introduction

Databases are a key component of many websites and applications, and are at the core of how data is stored and exchanged across the internet. One of the most important aspects of database management is the practice of retrieving data from a database, whether it’s on an ad hoc basis or part of a process that’s been coded into an application. There are several ways to retrieve information from a database, but one of the most commonly-used methods is performed through submitting queries through the command line.

In relational database management systems, a query is any command used to retrieve data from a table. In Structured Query Language (SQL), queries are almost always made using the SELECT statement.

In this guide, we will discuss the basic syntax of SQL queries as well as some of the more commonly-employed functions and operators. We will also practice making SQL queries using some sample data in a PostgreSQL database.

PostgreSQL, often shortened to “Postgres,” is a relational database management system with an object-oriented approach, meaning that information can be represented as objects or classes in PostgreSQL schemas. PostgreSQL aligns closely with standard SQL, although it also includes some features not found in other relational database systems.