I. SQL Commands

This part contains reference information for the SQL commands supported by PostgreSQL. By "SQL" the language in general is meant; information about the standards conformance and compatibility of each command can be found on the respective reference page.

Table of Contents
ABORT -- abort the current transaction
ALTER DATABASE -- change a database
ALTER GROUP -- add users to a group or remove users from a group
ALTER TABLE -- change the definition of a table
ALTER TRIGGER -- change the definition of a trigger
ALTER USER -- change a database user account
ANALYZE -- collect statistics about a database
BEGIN -- start a transaction block
CHECKPOINT -- force a transaction log checkpoint
CLOSE -- close a cursor
CLUSTER -- cluster a table according to an index
COMMENT -- define or change the comment of an object
COMMIT -- commit the current transaction
COPY -- copy data between files and tables
CREATE AGGREGATE -- define a new aggregate function
CREATE CAST -- define a user-defined cast
CREATE CONSTRAINT TRIGGER -- define a new constraint trigger
CREATE CONVERSION -- define a user-defined conversion
CREATE DATABASE -- create a new database
CREATE DOMAIN -- define a new domain
CREATE FUNCTION -- define a new function
CREATE GROUP -- define a new user group
CREATE INDEX -- define a new index
CREATE LANGUAGE -- define a new procedural language
CREATE OPERATOR -- define a new operator
CREATE OPERATOR CLASS -- define a new operator class for indexes
CREATE RULE -- define a new rewrite rule
CREATE SCHEMA -- define a new schema
CREATE SEQUENCE -- define a new sequence generator
CREATE TABLE -- define a new table
CREATE TABLE AS -- create a new table from the results of a query
CREATE TRIGGER -- define a new trigger
CREATE TYPE -- define a new data type
CREATE USER -- define a new database user account
CREATE VIEW -- define a new view
DEALLOCATE -- remove a prepared query
DECLARE -- define a cursor
DELETE -- delete rows of a table
DROP AGGREGATE -- remove a user-defined aggregate function
DROP CAST -- remove a user-defined cast
DROP CONVERSION -- remove a user-defined conversion
DROP DATABASE -- remove a database
DROP DOMAIN -- remove a user-defined domain
DROP FUNCTION -- remove a user-defined function
DROP GROUP -- remove a user group
DROP INDEX -- remove an index
DROP LANGUAGE -- remove a user-defined procedural language
DROP OPERATOR -- remove a user-defined operator
DROP OPERATOR CLASS -- remove a user-defined operator class
DROP RULE -- remove a rewrite rule
DROP SCHEMA -- remove a schema
DROP SEQUENCE -- remove a sequence
DROP TABLE -- remove a table
DROP TRIGGER -- remove a trigger
DROP TYPE -- remove a user-defined data type
DROP USER -- remove a database user account
DROP VIEW -- remove a view
END -- commit the current transaction
EXECUTE -- execute a prepared query
EXPLAIN -- show the execution plan of a statement
FETCH -- retrieve rows from a table using a cursor
GRANT -- define access privileges
INSERT -- create new rows in a table
LISTEN -- listen for a notification
LOAD -- load or reload a shared library file
LOCK -- explicitly lock a table
MOVE -- position a cursor on a specified row of a table
NOTIFY -- generate a notification
PREPARE -- create a prepared query
REINDEX -- rebuild corrupted indexes
RESET -- restore the value of a run-time parameter to a default value
REVOKE -- remove access privileges
ROLLBACK -- abort the current transaction
SELECT -- retrieve rows from a table or view
SELECT INTO -- create a new table from the results of a query
SET -- change a run-time parameter
SET CONSTRAINTS -- set the constraint mode of the current transaction
SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION -- set the session user identifier and the current user identifier of the current session
SET TRANSACTION -- set the characteristics of the current transaction
SHOW -- show the value of a run-time parameter
START TRANSACTION -- start a transaction block
TRUNCATE -- empty a table
UNLISTEN -- stop listening for a notification
UPDATE -- update rows of a table
VACUUM -- garbage-collect and optionally analyze a database