Once you have created a database, you can access it by:

    <itemizedlist spacing="compact" mark="bullet">
     <listitem>
      <para>
       Running the <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> interactive
       terminal program, called <application><firstterm>psql</firstterm></application>, which allows you
       to interactively enter, edit, and execute
       <acronym>SQL</acronym> commands.
      </para>
     </listitem>

     <listitem>
      <para>
       Using an existing graphical frontend tool like
       <application>pgAdmin</application> or an office suite with
       <acronym>ODBC</acronym> or <acronym>JDBC</acronym> support to create and manipulate a
       database.  These possibilities are not covered in this
       tutorial.
      </para>
     </listitem>

     <listitem>
      <para>
       Writing a custom application, using one of the several
       available language bindings.  These possibilities are discussed
       further in <xref linkend="client-interfaces"/>.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>

    You probably want to start up <command>psql</command> to try
    the examples in this tutorial.  It can be activated for the
    <literal>mydb</literal> database by typing the command:
<screen>
<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>psql mydb</userinput>
</screen>
    If you do not supply the database name then it will default to your
    user account name.  You already discovered this scheme in the
    previous section using <command>createdb</command>.
   </para>

   <para>
    In <command>psql</command>, you will be greeted with the following
    message:
<screen>
psql (&version;)
Type "help" for help.

mydb=&gt;
</screen>
    <indexterm><primary>superuser</primary></indexterm>
    The last line could also be:
<screen>
mydb=#
</screen>
    That would mean you are a database superuser, which is most likely
    the case if you installed the <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> instance
    yourself.  Being a superuser means that you are not subject to
    access controls.  For the purposes of this tutorial that is not
    important.
   </para>

   <para>
    If you encounter problems starting