Compared to other open source DBMSs, PostgreSQL stands out for its reliability and richness of capabilities. The book discusses the practical aspects of installing and maintaining a database server based on PostgreSQL. The focus is on standard operations such as backing up and restoring databases, managing user accounts, creating new databases, starting and stopping the server, etc. A separate part of the book is devoted to non-trivial topics specific to PostgreSQL, including working with databases in Java and building websites based on PostgreSQL data.

The book is intended for system administrators involved in technical support of database servers, but its material is also of interest to a wide range of readers who want to get to know PostgreSQL better.