Notation Conventions

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<sect1 id="notation">
 <title>Conventions</title>

 <para>
  The following conventions are used in the synopsis of a command:
  brackets (<literal>[</literal> and <literal>]</literal>) indicate
  optional parts.  Braces
  (<literal>{</literal> and <literal>}</literal>) and vertical lines
  (<literal>|</literal>) indicate that you must choose one
  alternative.  Dots (<literal>...</literal>) mean that the preceding element
  can be repeated.  All other symbols, including parentheses, should be
  taken literally.
 </para>

 <para>
  Where it enhances the clarity, SQL commands are preceded by the
  prompt <literal>=&gt;</literal>, and shell commands are preceded by the
  prompt <literal>$</literal>.  Normally, prompts are not shown, though.
 </para>

 <para>
  An <firstterm>administrator</firstterm> is generally a person who is
  in charge of installing and running the server.  A <firstterm>user</firstterm>
  could be anyone who is using, or wants to use, any part of the
  <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> system.  These terms should not
  be interpreted too narrowly; this book does not have fixed
  presumptions about system administration procedures.
 </para>
</sect1>

Title: Notation Conventions

Summary

This section describes the conventions used in the documentation, including the use of brackets, braces, and other symbols to indicate optional parts, alternatives, and repetition, as well as the notation for administrators and users in the context of PostgreSQL.