intro
Let’s learn the definition of a Schema path in Postgres - we’ll tell you what it is, the ins and outs, and why it plays a pivotal role in the management and optimization of database applications - have a read!
Schema: Definition
Schemas in PostgreSQL are logical containers that allow you to organize database objects such as tables, stored procedures, functions, etc. Schemas provide a way to rationally group related objects and separate them based on their functionalities or business domains. In other words, it is a conceptual space that contains named database objects such as tables, stored procedures, etc.
Schemas allow you to group related views, tables, operators, stored procedures, etc. making it easier to manage complex database structures.
In the following segment of this blog, we will look at why we need to use schemas.
Why Schemas?
Why do we need to use a schema? Let’s look at some reasons why schemas play very crucial roles in our database management.
Schema Types in PostgreSQL
In the context of database management, schemas can be classified into different categories based on some factors: purpose, and access control. Public and custom schemas are two such types. Let’s dive into these two:
Public Schema
This is a shared schema type that is created by default when you initialize a PostgreSQL database without defining a name for the database. This means that for every object you create without specifying the schema name, PostgreSQL will put it in the public schema. Public schemas are accessible to all users, as they’re typically used for objects that need to be accessed and shared by multiple roles in a database.
Custom Schema
A custom schema, on the other hand, is a user-defined schema. Custom schemas are not general-purpose schemas and are not accessible to all users by default, unlike public schemas. This implies that only authorized users can access this type of schema and the objects within them.
To create a custom schema, replace schema_name with your desired schema name and execute the following statement:
This will create a schema with the specified name in the schema tab of your database as shown in DbVisualizer below:
Great! 👏 we’ve been able to successfully create a custom schema in our PostgreSQL database. For a general overview of data organization in PostgreSQL, let us take a brief dive into how data is structured and arranged in PostgreSQL.
Structural Organization of Data in PostgreSQL
Although PostgreSQL has more complexity than this illustration above portrays, it is important to note that it illustrates the basic framework of how data is organized and structured in PostgreSQL. Let’s analyze each phase of the hierarchy:
Enough of the theory on PostgreSQL schemas. Let’s look at a particular use case in the chapter below:
Real-world Use Case
Much like file cabinets in a big office, schemas are frequently used in databases in situations that call for the systematic arrangement and separation of data. Let's look at a real-world example of a database schema to see how it is used.
Scenario
You are managing an e-commerce website's database, and you want to organize your product inventory separately from customer data. PostgreSQL schemas provide a powerful way to achieve this separation.
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-- Create the "inventory" schema
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CREATE SCHEMA inventory;
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-- Create a table for storing product information in the "inventory" schema
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CREATE TABLE inventory.products (
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product_id serial PRIMARY KEY,
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product_name VARCHAR(255),
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price DECIMAL(10, 2),
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stock_quantity INT
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);
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-- Create the "users" table in the default "public" schema to store customer information
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CREATE TABLE public.users (
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user_id serial PRIMARY KEY,
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username VARCHAR(50) UNIQUE,
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email VARCHAR(100) UNIQUE,
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password_hash VARCHAR(100)
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);
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--Insert a product into the "inventory.products" table
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INSERT INTO inventory.products (product_name, price, stock_quantity)
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VALUES ('Laptop', 699.99, 50);
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-- Insert a user into the "public.users" table
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INSERT INTO public.users (username, email, password_hash)
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VALUES ('janesally', 'janesally@techcontentmarketers.com', 'hashed_password');
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-- Query all products from the "inventory.products" table
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SELECT * FROM inventory.products;
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-- Query all users from the "public.users" table
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SELECT * FROM public.users;
In the illustration above, we
What has been achieved in the end? It is now simpler to maintain and organize your e-commerce database since we have successfully segregated the product inventory from the customer data. This example demonstrates the usefulness of PostgreSQL schemas and how they may assist in keeping various types of data structured and separated inside a single database.
Outro
In this article, you have learned about what PostgreSQL schemas are and what they offer. Schemas offer a powerful means of organizing and managing database objects. By utilizing custom and default schemas, developers can achieve efficient organization of data, and fine-grained access control, amongst other useful benefits. Through proper schema design, developers can also build scalable applications that optimize performance and simplify maintenance, taking full advantage of the capabilities of their database, whether it would be PostgreSQL or another database of choice.
Make sure to follow the DbVisualizer’s The Table blog to learn more about database development and until next time.
FAQs
Can I have multiple schemas in a single PostgreSQL database?
Yes, you can have multiple schemas within a single PostgreSQL database. PostgreSQL creates the public schema by default, but you can create additional custom schemas to suit your needs. Multiple schemas help in separating and organizing database objects based on their purpose which improves the overall database structure and manageability.
What is the purpose of using custom schemas in PostgreSQL?
Custom schemas in PostgreSQL serve the purpose of organizing and managing database objects. They provide a way to group related tables, views, functions, and other objects logically. Custom schemas improve data organization, prevent naming conflicts, simplify maintenance, and enable fine-grained access control.
True or False: The 'public' schema in PostgreSQL is mandatory and cannot be removed.
True.
Like in many other database management systems, the public schema in PostgreSQL is created by default when initializing a new database and cannot be removed. It serves as a default schema and contains system objects and functions that are accessible to all users. While you cannot remove the public schema, you can still create additional custom schemas and organize your database objects within them.
