Should I Learn PostgreSQL?
Tags: career, database, postgres, sql
Published: 2022-08-01 03:48:00

I'm currently at a point in my coding journey where I am nearly finished completing my first coding bootcamp. Job hunt will be the next step to take so that I can finally land that dream job that I and so many others desired. 

But first, building a strong resume that appeal to employers is crucial. It can be challenging drafting a resume as an entry-level software engineer. Upon writing out my current technical skills, I became curious to see what technical skills employers and companies would like to see in candidates. I found that a consistently solid understanding of databases is essential for software engineers because they are an integral component of software and application development. Which makes sense, because the world today simply cannot function without data.

You will most likely expect to encounter database administration functions such as how to create, update, store, modify, and insert information. In the case that you are working with an organization's records or improving its security will need you to be familiar with their database.

The industry standard for managing databases is SQL. SQL is known as a relational database management system (RDBMS), which means it saves data in rows and columns like a spreadsheet, as opposed to non-relational databases, which do not. Non-relational databases use a storage model that is best adapted for the type of data it is storing.

There are several relation databases that use and support SQL querying; PostgreSQL being one of them. 

---

### Why learn PostgreSQL?
Well, what exactly is PostgreSQL? Let's define it in more detail. 

- PostgreSQL, commonly goes by the name Postgres, is an open-source and free to use RDBMS. (Who doesn't like free, right?)

- An extremely robust database that has been developed by the open-source community over the course of more than 30 years. 

- It is an advanced version of SQL. 

- Runs on all major operating systems(Linux, macOS, Windows)

- [ACID](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACID)-compliant since 2001.

- Supports JSON(non-relational) querying as well.

- Many web applications, as well as mobile and analytics applications, rely on it as their primary database.

Now that we have a general idea of what Postgres is, let's look at why learning how to utilize this database can be advantageous.

Given that it is so similar to SQL standards, it makes it a great option for individuals who are new to SQL.

Some of the largest and most well-known companies in the industry includes Postgres as part of their tech stack. The list includes companies like Apple, IMDB, Instagram, Reddit, Skype, Spotify, Twitch and NASA. [db-engines.com](https://db-engines.com/en/blog/DBMS+of+the+year) has calculated the popularity of DBMSs over the years and has declared Postgres as the DBMS of the Year in 2017, 2018, and 2020. Making it the first system to win the title three times. According to a [survey](https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2021#most-popular-technologies-database-prof) conducted by stackoverflow.com, Postgres is currently the second most popular database system used by actual professional developers. So adding it to your array of technical skills will surely offer more job opportunities.      
 
Many features in Postgres are designed to support developers in creating applications, administrators in protecting data integrity and constructing fault-tolerant systems, and you in managing your data regardless of the size of the dataset. Postgres is quite extendable. You can, for instance, create custom functions, define your own data types, and even write code in a variety of programming languages without having to recompile your database. It aims to comply to the SQL standard if such conformity does not conflict with conventional features or lead to poor architecture choices. Despite occasionally having somewhat different syntax or functionality, many of the features required by the SQL standard are supported. Continued progress in this direction can be expected. As of the September 2021 version 14 release, Postgres complies with at least 170 of the 179 requirements for SQL:2016 Core conformance.

The well-known PostGIS geospatial database extender is only one of the many add-ons for Postgres. It provides support for geographic objects, allowing location queries to be performed in SQL. In addition to basic location awareness, PostGIS provides several capabilities not available in competing spatial databases such as Oracle Locator/Spatial and SQL Server.

---
After doing some research on Postgres, it has demonstrated to me that it deserves and will have a position in my tech stack. Following market trends is the plan of attack right now and Postgres is one of the most popular and widely used database management systems in the world. With it being regularly improved by the open source community, I'll have plenty to keep me occupied since I enjoy learning new concepts and technology. I hope this helps you decide if learning Postgres is worth your time.