3. Conventions
The following conventions are used in the synopsis of a command:
brackets (
[
and
]
) indicate
optional parts. Braces
(
{
and
}
) and vertical lines
(
|
) indicate that you must choose one
alternative. Dots (
...
) mean that the preceding element
can be repeated. All other symbols, including parentheses, should be
taken literally.
Where it enhances the clarity, SQL commands are preceded by the
prompt
=>
, and shell commands are preceded by the
prompt
$
. Normally, prompts are not shown, though.
An administrator is generally a person who is in charge of installing and running the server. A user could be anyone who is using, or wants to use, any part of the PostgreSQL system. These terms should not be interpreted too narrowly; this book does not have fixed presumptions about system administration procedures.