diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/glossary.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/glossary.sgml
index 25b03f3b37..e29b55e5ac 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/glossary.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/glossary.sgml
@@ -395,15 +395,15 @@
The base directory on the filesystem of a
server that contains all
- data files and subdirectories associated with an
- instance (with the
- exception of tablespaces).
+ data files and subdirectories associated with a
+ database cluster
+ (with the exception of
+ tablespaces).
The environment variable PGDATA is commonly used to
- refer to the
- data directory.
+ refer to the data directory.
- An instance's storage
+ A cluster's storage
space comprises the data directory plus any additional tablespaces.
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@
A named collection of
- SQL objects.
+ local SQL objects.
For more information, see
@@ -427,6 +427,22 @@
+
+ Database cluster
+
+
+ A collection of databases and global SQL objects,
+ and their common static and dynamic meta-data.
+ Sometimes referred to as a
+ cluster.
+
+
+ In PostgreSQL, the term
+ cluster is also sometimes used to refer to an instance.
+ (Don't confuse this term with the SQL command CLUSTER.)
+
+
+
Database server
@@ -634,7 +650,7 @@
Function
- Any defined transformation of data. Many functions are already defined
+ A defined transformation of data. Many functions are already defined
within PostgreSQL itself, but user-defined
ones can also be added.
@@ -724,14 +740,12 @@
Instance
- A set of databases and accompanying global SQL objects that are stored in
- the same data directory
- in a single server.
- If running, one
+ A group of backend and auxiliary processes that communicate using
+ a common shared memory area. One
postmaster process
- manages a group of backend and auxiliary processes that communicate
- using a common shared memory
- area. Many instances can run on the same
+ manages the instance; one instance manages exactly one
+ database cluster
+ with all its databases. Many instances can run on the same
server
as long as their TCP ports do not conflict.
@@ -739,14 +753,10 @@
The instance handles all key features of a DBMS:
read and write access to files and shared memory,
assurance of the ACID properties,
- connections to client processes,
+ connections to
+ client processes,
privilege verification, crash recovery, replication, etc.
-
- In PostgreSQL, the term
- cluster is also sometimes used to refer to an instance.
- (Don't confuse this term with the SQL command CLUSTER.)
-
@@ -1245,12 +1255,17 @@
SQL objects,
which all reside in the same
database.
- Each SQL object must reside in exactly one schema.
+ Each SQL object must reside in exactly one schema
+ (though certain types of SQL objects exist outside schemas).
The names of SQL objects of the same type in the same schema are enforced
to be unique.
There is no restriction on reusing a name in multiple schemas.
+ For local objects that exist outside schemas, their names are enforced
+ unique across the whole database. For global objects, their names
+ are enforced unique across the whole
+ database cluster.
All system-defined SQL objects reside in schema pg_catalog,
@@ -1384,27 +1399,34 @@
- SQL Object
+ SQL object
Any object that can be created with a CREATE
command. Most objects are specific to one database, and are commonly
known as local objects.
- Roles,
- tablespaces,
- replication origins, subscriptions for logical replication, and
- databases themselves are not local SQL objects since they exist
- entirely outside of any specific database;
- they are called global objects.
Most local objects belong to a specific
- schema in their containing database.
+ schema in their
+ containing database, such as
+ all types of relations,
+ all types of functions,
+ data types, etc.
There also exist local objects that do not belong to schemas; some examples are
extensions,
data type casts, and
foreign data wrappers.
-
+
+
+ Other object types, such as
+ roles,
+ tablespaces,
+ replication origins, subscriptions for logical replication, and
+ databases themselves are not local SQL objects since they exist
+ entirely outside of any specific database;
+ they are called global objects.
+
For more information, see
.
@@ -1489,7 +1511,7 @@
which require storage beyond their definition in the
system catalog
must belong to a single tablespace.
- Initially, an instance contains a single usable tablespace which is
+ Initially, a database cluster contains a single usable tablespace which is
used as the default one for all SQL objects, called pg_default.