PostgreSQL 9.5 First Impression

There are many ways how one can be impressed by software product. Size of package, company/community promotion, installer functions + user/friendly UI, etc. I like PostgreSQL, no doubt about it – so let’s check how is it packed by Enterprise DB in last release (9.5).

Installation package size

I was a bit suscpicious about installer size:

-rwxrwx—  1 ji users 37847509 Jan  8 11:41 postgresql-9.5.0-1-linux-x64.run

38MB – sounds incredible!

For your comparison, MySQL 5.7.10 sizes: Windows (320MB-400MB), Ubuntu (180MB), SuSE (375MB), Linux generic – static glibc 2.5 (550MB-580MB).

As a root, you can install postgresql in 2 ways – text and graphical mode. Text mode is maybe not intentioned more or less – if you have no DISPLAY variable setup:

linux-9aor:/home/ji # ./postgresql-9.5.0-1-linux-x64.run
—————————————————————————-
Welcome to the PostgreSQL Setup Wizard.

—————————————————————————-
Please specify the directory where PostgreSQL will be installed.

You can continue in a text installation indeed or you can import DISPLAY variable and enjoy graphical output:

linux-9aor:/home/ji # export DISPLAY=:0
linux-9aor:/home/ji # ./postgresql-9.5.0-1-linux-x64.run

Installation screens:

01-inst

02-inst

03-inst

04-inst

05-inst

06-inst

07-inst

08-inst

09-inst

Stack Builder is a small utility which can be used for downloading (+installing) extensions. For me it makes sense PostGIS. 3 clicks and here we go…. excellent work (I remember days full of frustration from hidden error during compiling this GIS extension).

Is that all?

Well….. yes, it is.

PostgreSQL related menu is also created:

menu

Service is up and running:

linux-9aor:~ # service postgresql-9.5 status
postgresql-9.5.service – PostgreSQL 9.5 database server
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/postgresql-9.5.service; enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Tue 2016-02-02 19:27:59 CET; 25s ago
  Process: 741 ExecStart=/opt/PostgreSQL/9.5/bin/pg_ctl -w start -D /opt/PostgreSQL/9.5/data -l /opt/PostgreSQL/9.5/data/pg_log/startup.log -w -t  (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
 Main PID: 875 (postgres)
   CGroup: /system.slice/postgresql-9.5.service
           ├─ 875 /opt/PostgreSQL/9.5/bin/postgres -D /opt/PostgreSQL/9.5/data
           ├─1005 postgres: logger process                                    
           ├─1025 postgres: checkpointer process                              
           ├─1026 postgres: writer process                                    
           ├─1027 postgres: wal writer process                                
           ├─1030 postgres: autovacuum launcher process                       
           └─1031 postgres: stats collector process                           

pgAdmin III

Command line is great, universal and have some requirements for user to use (knowing syntax). GUI delivered with postgresql package is named pgAdmin III. It’s simple, not hungry, basic GUI for a work with postgresql database. Objects hierarchy are clearly visible just from first sight and metadata are tempting to be discovered .-)

010-pgadmin

Wizards for common actions are really nicely written and impose large number of parameters. Example for creating database:

011-crdb

012-crdb

013-crdb

014-crdb

015-crdb

016-crdb

pgAdmin also provides SQL query part (with both parts – text one and visual query builder):

017-que

Command line

Clean software touch is visible also within working in command line – PostgreSQL does no rely on window manager and brings…. tadaaaaa…. good old xterm:

018-psql

Overview:

  • tiny package
  • essential, good installer
  • StackBuilder is an excellent idea
  • all working out-of-box
  • pgAdmin III is a plus
  • no headache during installing and first setup

Hard to find any cons. Great product at all!

-a-

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