Developer's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for PostgreSQL
- Last updated: Mon Mar 19 12:52:30 EDT 2007
+ Last updated: Sat May 5 00:09:15 EDT 2007
Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian (bruce@momjian.us)
1.2) What development environment is required to develop code?
1.3) What areas need work?
1.4) What do I do after choosing an item to work on?
- 1.5) I've developed a patch, what next?
- 1.6) Where can I learn more about the code?
- 1.7) How do I download/update the current source tree?
- 1.8) How do I test my changes?
- 1.9) What tools are available for developers?
- 1.10) What books are good for developers?
- 1.11) What is configure all about?
- 1.12) How do I add a new port?
- 1.13) Why don't you use threads, raw devices, async-I/O, <insert your
+ 1.5) I have developed a patch, what next?
+ 1.6) How is a patch reviewed?
+ 1.7) Where can I learn more about the code?
+ 1.8) How do I download/update the current source tree?
+ 1.9) How do I test my changes?
+ 1.10) What tools are available for developers?
+ 1.11) What books are good for developers?
+ 1.12) What is configure all about?
+ 1.13) How do I add a new port?
+ 1.14) Why don't you use threads, raw devices, async-I/O, <insert your
favorite wizz-bang feature here>?
- 1.14) How are RPM's packaged?
- 1.15) How are CVS branches handled?
- 1.16) Where can I get a copy of the SQL standards?
- 1.17) Where can I get technical assistance?
- 1.18) How do I get involved in PostgreSQL web site development?
- 1.19) Why haven't you replaced CVS with SVN, Git, Monotone, VSS,
+ 1.15) How are RPM's packaged?
+ 1.16) How are CVS branches handled?
+ 1.17) Where can I get a copy of the SQL standards?
+ 1.18) Where can I get technical assistance?
+ 1.19) How do I get involved in PostgreSQL web site development?
+ 1.20) Why haven't you replaced CVS with SVN, Git, Monotone, VSS,
<insert your favorite SCM system here>?
Technical Questions
1.1) How do I get involved in PostgreSQL development?
- Download the code and have a look around. See 1.7.
+ Download the code and have a look around. See 1.8.
Subscribe to and read the pgsql-hackers mailing list (often termed
'hackers'). This is where the major contributors and core members of
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/faqs.TODO.html.
You can learn more about these features by consulting the archives,
- the SQL standards and the recommend texts (see 1.10).
+ the SQL standards and the recommend texts (see 1.11).
1.4) What do I do after choosing an item to work on?
being kept for the next release,
http://momjian.postgresql.org/cgi-bin/pgpatches_hold.
- 1.5) I've developed a patch, what next?
+ 1.5) I have developed a patch, what next?
You will need to submit the patch to pgsql-patches@postgresql.org. It
will be reviewed by other contributors to the project and will be
make sure your submission conforms to the following guidelines:
1. Ensure that your patch is generated against the most recent
version of the code, which for developers is CVS HEAD. For more on
- branches in PostgreSQL, see 1.15.
+ branches in PostgreSQL, see 1.16.
2. Try to make your patch as readable as possible by following the
project's code-layout conventions. This makes it easier for the
reviewer, and there's no point in trying to layout things
6. If you are adding a new feature, confirm that it has been tested
thoroughly. Try to test the feature in all conceivable scenarios.
7. New feature patches should also be accompanied by documentation
- patches. If you need help checking the SQL standard, see 1.16.
+ patches. If you need help checking the SQL standard, see 1.17.
8. Provide an implementation overview, preferably in code comments.
Following the surrounding code commenting style is usually a good
approach.
You will be notified via email when the patch is applied, and your
name will appear in the next version of the release notes.
- 1.6) Where can I learn more about the code?
+ 1.6) How is a patch reviewed?
+
+ Patch committers check several things before applying a patch:
+ * Patch follows the SQL standard or community agreed-upon behavior
+ * Style merges seamlessly into the surrounding code
+ * Written as simply and efficiently as possible
+ * Uses the available PostgreSQL subsystems properly
+ * Contains sufficient comments
+ * Contains code that works on all supported operating systems
+ * Has proper documentation
+ * Passes all regression tests
+ * Behaves as expected, even under unusual cirumstances
+ * Contains no reliability risks
+ * Does not overly complicate the source code
+ * If performance-related, has a measureable performance benefit
+ * Is of sufficient usefulness to the average PostgreSQL user
+ * Follows existing PostgreSQL coding standards
+
+ 1.7) Where can I learn more about the code?
Other than documentation in the source tree itself, you can find some
papers/presentations discussing the code at
http://www.postgresql.org/developer. An excellent presentation is at
http://neilconway.org/talks/hacking/
- 1.7) How do I download/update the current source tree?
+ 1.8) How do I download/update the current source tree?
There are several ways to obtain the source tree. Occasional
developers can just get the most recent source tree snapshot from
in CVS. For details of how to obtain the source from CVS see
http://developer.postgresql.org/docs/postgres/cvs.html.
- 1.8) How do I test my changes?
+ 1.9) How do I test my changes?
Basic system testing
you are using GCC you can use the --enable-depend option of configure
to have the compiler compute the dependencies automatically.
- 1.9) What tools are available for developers?
+ 1.10) What tools are available for developers?
First, all the files in the src/tools directory are designed for
developers.
is also a script called unused_oids in pgsql/src/include/catalog that
shows the unused oids.
- 1.10) What books are good for developers?
+ 1.11) What books are good for developers?
I have four good books, An Introduction to Database Systems, by C.J.
Date, Addison, Wesley, A Guide to the SQL Standard, by C.J. Date, et.
There is also a database performance site, with a handbook on-line
written by Jim Gray at http://www.benchmarkresources.com..
- 1.11) What is configure all about?
+ 1.12) What is configure all about?
The files configure and configure.in are part of the GNU autoconf
package. Configure allows us to test for various capabilities of the
removed, so you see only the file contained in the source
distribution.
- 1.12) How do I add a new port?
+ 1.13) How do I add a new port?
There are a variety of places that need to be modified to add a new
port. First, start in the src/template directory. Add an appropriate
src/makefiles directory for port-specific Makefile handling. There is
a backend/port directory if you need special files for your OS.
- 1.13) Why don't you use threads, raw devices, async-I/O, <insert your
+ 1.14) Why don't you use threads, raw devices, async-I/O, <insert your
favorite wizz-bang feature here>?
There is always a temptation to use the newest operating system
cautious about their adoption. The TODO list often contains links to
discussions showing our reasoning in these areas.
- 1.14) How are RPMs packaged?
+ 1.15) How are RPMs packaged?
This was written by Lamar Owen and Devrim Gündüz:
As to why all these files aren't part of the source tree, well, unless
there was a large cry for it to happen, we don't believe it should.
- 1.15) How are CVS branches managed?
+ 1.16) How are CVS branches managed?
This was written by Tom Lane:
tree right away after a major release --- we wait for a dot-release or
two, so that we won't have to double-patch the first wave of fixes.
- 1.16) Where can I get a copy of the SQL standards?
+ 1.17) Where can I get a copy of the SQL standards?
There are three versions of the SQL standard: SQL-92, SQL:1999, and
SQL:2003. They are endorsed by ANSI and ISO. Draft versions can be
* http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~shadow/sql.html#syntax (SQL-92)
* http://dbs.uni-leipzig.de/en/lokal/standards.pdf (paper)
- 1.17) Where can I get technical assistance?
+ 1.18) Where can I get technical assistance?
Many technical questions held by those new to the code have been
answered on the pgsql-hackers mailing list - the archives of which can
questions about development of new features, on IRC at
irc.freenode.net in the #postgresql channel.
- 1.18) How do I get involved in PostgreSQL web site development?
+ 1.19) How do I get involved in PostgreSQL web site development?
PostgreSQL website development is discussed on the
pgsql-www@postgresql.org mailing list. The is a project page where the
http://gborg.postgresql.org/project/pgweb/projdisplay.php , the code
for the next version of the website is under the "portal" module.
- 1.19) Why haven't you replaced CVS with SVN, Git, Monotone, VSS, <insert your
+ 1.20) Why haven't you replaced CVS with SVN, Git, Monotone, VSS, <insert your
favorite SCMS here>?
Currently the core developers see no SCMS that will provide enough
those structures (in particular, the files copyfuncs.c and
equalfuncs.c. Make sure you add support for your new field to these
files. Find any other places the structure might need code for your
- new field. mkid is helpful with this (see 1.9).
+ new field. mkid is helpful with this (see 1.10).
2.5) Why do we use palloc() and pfree() to allocate memory?
<H1>Developer's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for
PostgreSQL</H1>
- <P>Last updated: Mon Mar 19 12:52:30 EDT 2007</P>
+ <P>Last updated: Sat May 5 00:09:15 EDT 2007</P>
<P>Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian (<A href=
"mailto:bruce@momjian.us">bruce@momjian.us</A>)<BR>
<A href="#item1.3">1.3</A>) What areas need work?<BR>
<A href="#item1.4">1.4</A>) What do I do after choosing an item to
work on?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.5">1.5</A>) I've developed a patch, what next?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.6">1.6</A>) Where can I learn more about the code?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.7">1.7</A>) How do I download/update the current
+ <A href="#item1.5">1.5</A>) I have developed a patch, what next?<BR>
+ <A href="#item1.7">1.6</A>) How is a patch reviewed?<BR>
+ <A href="#item1.7">1.7</A>) Where can I learn more about the code?<BR>
+ <A href="#item1.8">1.8</A>) How do I download/update the current
source tree?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.8">1.8</A>) How do I test my changes?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.9">1.9</A>) What tools are available for
+ <A href="#item1.9">1.9</A>) How do I test my changes?<BR>
+ <A href="#item1.10">1.10</A>) What tools are available for
developers?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.10">1.10</A>) What books are good for developers?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.11">1.11</A>) What is configure all about?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.12">1.12</A>) How do I add a new port?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.13">1.13</A>) Why don't you use threads, raw
+ <A href="#item1.11">1.11</A>) What books are good for developers?<BR>
+ <A href="#item1.12">1.12</A>) What is configure all about?<BR>
+ <A href="#item1.13">1.13</A>) How do I add a new port?<BR>
+ <A href="#item1.14">1.14</A>) Why don't you use threads, raw
devices, async-I/O, <insert your favorite wizz-bang feature
here>?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.14">1.14</A>) How are RPM's packaged?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.15">1.15</A>) How are CVS branches handled?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.16">1.16</A>) Where can I get a copy of the SQL
+ <A href="#item1.15">1.15</A>) How are RPM's packaged?<BR>
+ <A href="#item1.16">1.16</A>) How are CVS branches handled?<BR>
+ <A href="#item1.17">1.17</A>) Where can I get a copy of the SQL
standards?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.17">1.17</A>) Where can I get technical
+ <A href="#item1.18">1.18</A>) Where can I get technical
assistance?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.18">1.18</A>) How do I get involved in PostgreSQL web
+ <A href="#item1.19">1.19</A>) How do I get involved in PostgreSQL web
site development?<BR>
- <A href="#item1.19">1.19</A>) Why haven't you replaced CVS with SVN, Git,
+ <A href="#item1.20">1.20</A>) Why haven't you replaced CVS with SVN, Git,
Monotone, VSS, <insert your favorite SCM system here>?
development?</H3>
<P>Download the code and have a look around. See <A href=
- "#item1.7">1.7</A>.</P>
+ "#item1.8">1.8</A>.</P>
<P>Subscribe to and read the <A href=
"http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers">pgsql-hackers</A>
<P>You can learn more about these features by consulting the
archives, the SQL standards and the recommend texts (see <A href=
- "#item1.10">1.10</A>).</P>
+ "#item1.11">1.11</A>).</P>
<H3 id="item1.4">1.4) What do I do after choosing an item to
work on?</H3>
<a href="http://momjian.postgresql.org/cgi-bin/pgpatches_hold">
http://momjian.postgresql.org/cgi-bin/pgpatches_hold</a>.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.5">1.5) I've developed a patch, what next?</H3>
+ <H3 id="item1.5">1.5) I have developed a patch, what next?</H3>
<P>You will need to submit the patch to pgsql-patches@postgresql.org. It
will be reviewed by other contributors to the project and will be
<ol>
<li>Ensure that your patch is generated against the most recent version
of the code, which for developers is CVS HEAD. For more on branches in
- PostgreSQL, see <a href="#item1.15">1.15</a>.</li>
+ PostgreSQL, see <a href="#item1.16">1.16</a>.</li>
<li>Try to make your patch as readable as possible by following the
project's code-layout conventions. This makes it easier for the
<li>New feature patches should also be accompanied by documentation
patches. If you need help checking the SQL standard, see <a href=
- "#item1.16">1.16</a>.</li>
+ "#item1.17">1.17</a>.</li>
<li>Provide an implementation overview, preferably in code comments.
Following the surrounding code commenting style is usually a good
<p>You will be notified via email when the patch is applied, and
your name will appear in the next version of the release notes.</p>
- <H3 id="item1.6">1.6) Where can I learn more about the
+ <H3 id="item1.6">1.6) How is a patch reviewed?</H3>
+
+ <p>Patch committers check several things before applying a patch:</p>
+
+ <ul>
+ <li>Patch follows the SQL standard or community agreed-upon behavior</li>
+ <li>Style merges seamlessly into the surrounding code</li>
+ <li>Written as simply and efficiently as possible</li>
+ <li>Uses the available PostgreSQL subsystems properly</li>
+ <li>Contains sufficient comments</li>
+ <li>Contains code that works on all supported operating systems</li>
+ <li>Has proper documentation</li>
+ <li>Passes all regression tests</li>
+ <li>Behaves as expected, even under unusual cirumstances</li>
+ <li>Contains no reliability risks</li>
+ <li>Does not overly complicate the source code</li>
+ <li>If performance-related, has a measureable performance benefit</li>
+ <li>Is of sufficient usefulness to the average PostgreSQL user</li>
+ <li>Follows existing PostgreSQL coding standards</li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <H3 id="item1.7">1.7) Where can I learn more about the
code?</H3>
<P>Other than documentation in the source tree itself, you can find
is at <a href=
"http://neilconway.org/talks/hacking/">http://neilconway.org/talks/hacking/</a></P>
- <H3 id="item1.7">1.7) How do I download/update the current
+ <H3 id="item1.8">1.8) How do I download/update the current
source tree?</H3>
<P>There are several ways to obtain the source tree. Occasional
"http://developer.postgresql.org/docs/postgres/cvs.html">
http://developer.postgresql.org/docs/postgres/cvs.html</A>.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.8">1.8) How do I test my changes?</H3>
+ <H3 id="item1.9">1.9) How do I test my changes?</H3>
<P><B>Basic system testing</B></P>
you can use the <I>--enable-depend</I> option of <I>configure</I>
to have the compiler compute the dependencies automatically.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.9">1.9) What tools are available for
+ <H3 id="item1.10">1.10) What tools are available for
developers?</H3>
<P>First, all the files in the <I>src/tools</I> directory are
There is also a script called <I>unused_oids</I> in
<I>pgsql/src/include/catalog</I> that shows the unused oids.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.10">1.10) What books are good for
+ <H3 id="item1.11">1.11) What books are good for
developers?</H3>
<P>I have four good books, <I>An Introduction to Database
on-line written by Jim Gray at <A href=
"http://www.benchmarkresources.com">http://www.benchmarkresources.com.</A>.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.11">1.11) What is configure all about?</H3>
+ <H3 id="item1.12">1.12) What is configure all about?</H3>
<P>The files <I>configure</I> and <I>configure.in</I> are part of
the GNU <I>autoconf</I> package. Configure allows us to test for
all files derived by configure are removed, so you see only the
file contained in the source distribution.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.12">1.12) How do I add a new port?</H3>
+ <H3 id="item1.13">1.13) How do I add a new port?</H3>
<P>There are a variety of places that need to be modified to add a
new port. First, start in the <I>src/template</I> directory. Add an
handling. There is a <I>backend/port</I> directory if you need
special files for your OS.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.13">1.13) Why don't you use threads, raw
+ <H3 id="item1.14">1.14) Why don't you use threads, raw
devices, async-I/O, <insert your favorite wizz-bang feature
here>?</H3>
cautious about their adoption. The TODO list often contains links
to discussions showing our reasoning in these areas.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.14">1.14) How are RPMs packaged?</H3>
+ <H3 id="item1.15">1.15) How are RPMs packaged?</H3>
<P>This was written by Lamar Owen and Devrim Gündüz:</P>
<P>As to why all these files aren't part of the source tree, well, unless
there was a large cry for it to happen, we don't believe it should.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.15">1.15) How are CVS branches managed?</H3>
+ <H3 id="item1.16">1.16) How are CVS branches managed?</H3>
<P>This was written by Tom Lane:</P>
dot-release or two, so that we won't have to double-patch the first
wave of fixes.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.16">1.16) Where can I get a copy of the SQL
+ <H3 id="item1.17">1.17) Where can I get a copy of the SQL
standards?</H3>
<P>There are three versions of the SQL standard: SQL-92, SQL:1999,
(paper)</LI>
</UL>
- <H3 id="item1.17">1.17) Where can I get technical
+ <H3 id="item1.18">1.18) Where can I get technical
assistance?</H3>
<P>Many technical questions held by those new to the code have been
questions about development of new features, on IRC at
irc.freenode.net in the #postgresql channel.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.18">1.18) How do I get involved in PostgreSQL
+ <H3 id="item1.19">1.19) How do I get involved in PostgreSQL
web site development?</H3>
<P>PostgreSQL website development is discussed on the
, the code for the next version of the website is under the
"portal" module.</P>
- <H3 id="item1.19">1.19) Why haven't you replaced CVS with SVN, Git,
+ <H3 id="item1.20">1.20) Why haven't you replaced CVS with SVN, Git,
Monotone, VSS, <insert your favorite SCMS here>?</H3>
<P>Currently the core developers see no SCMS that will provide
the files <I>copyfuncs.c</I> and <I>equalfuncs.c</I>. Make sure you
add support for your new field to these files. Find any other
places the structure might need code for your new field. <I>mkid</I>
- is helpful with this (see <A href="#item1.9">1.9</A>).</P>
+ is helpful with this (see <A href="#item1.10">1.10</A>).</P>
<H3 id="item2.5">2.5) Why do we use <I>palloc</I>() and
<I>pfree</I>() to allocate memory?</H3>
projects / postgresql / commitdiff