TheOdinProject
NodeJS Course: Elaborate a bit more in the Postgres SQL lessons.
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Describe your suggestion
I think the Installing Postgres & Using PostgreSQL lessons are a little vague. Maybe it was purposefully done this way, but when I'm pasting commands into the terminal I would like to know what I'm doing or what things are/how they work.
Some remarks/suggestions I have are as follows:
- Clarify on what PSQL is (A CLI tool to interact with Postgres).
- Where is the database actually "located" when you're doing things the way described in the lessons (Just in the file system).
- How the local database accepts and responds to requests (Is it a connection like a server?)
These are just some questions I came up with when going through these lessons. I found answers I think are correct for the first two, but not the third. I'm not sure if including more detail might be unnecessary, but I would like to hear other's opinions.
Path
Node / JS
Lesson Url
https://www.theodinproject.com/lessons/nodejs-installing-postgresql#installing-postgresql
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I think it would be a good addition, just please update the version of the lesson in each path accordingly.
Thanks!
This issue is stale because it has had no activity for the last 30 days.
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I went through the lessons myself recently and have similar questions. More so on what exactly the packages we installed were for, usually we'll get a high level brief overview of what each package does but this time there wasn't anything so I didn't know what libpq-dev does and what postgresql did.
Has there been any updates?
I went through the lessons myself recently and have similar questions. More so on what exactly the packages we installed were for, usually we'll get a high level brief overview of what each package does but this time there wasn't anything so I didn't know what
libpq-devdoes and whatpostgresqldid.Has there been any updates?
Around the time I posted this I got really caught up with trying to improve as a programmer and get a job. Still working on it. Didn't really have time to do this.
These were some of the problems I had with this lesson as well, on top of what starting the postgresSQL service actually means, where these files live on your system, etc. I'm sure you could take over if the maintainers want you to do so.
These were some of the problems I had with this lesson as well, on top of what starting the postgresSQL service actually means, where these files live on your system, etc. I'm sure you could take over if the maintainers want you to do so.
Currently my understanding about these things is still shallow so I don't feel I can write about them properly. I'll be happy to request a takeover once I feel like I know enough.
Hello @KevinMulhern , I have been reading about this case and would like to help here.
Here is my suggestion:
In the lesson Installing PostgreSQL https://www.theodinproject.com/lessons/nodejs-installing-postgresql
- Inside the section Lesson overview, before the bullet point How to install PostgreSQL. Add a previous point called What is the PostgreSQL shell.
- Then create a section title called PostgreSQL shell, located before Installing PostgreSQL. the content of this section can be the following text:
"The PostgreSQL shell, also known as psql, is a terminal-based front-end to PostgreSQL that allows users to interactively execute SQL queries and manage the database. It is typically included with the PostgreSQL installation and can be accessed through the command line. Its scope includes running queries, creating and modifying database structures, and interacting with the database in a command-line environment.
The database using the psql terminal is located inside the file system or local machine, as PostgreSQL stores databases in ordinary files within the filesystem. The default location of the data directory may vary on different operating systems."
I think this approach can have the following advantages:
- give more context to the lesson without the need to modify any of the paths within the section Installing PostgreSQL.
- when in the next lesson Using PostgreSQL it is mentioned in the first bullet point Setting up a new db in PostgreSQL shell. The terminology would have already explained.
Additional
It may also be considered to add in the section Additional resources this link https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/app-psql.html
taken from postgresql documentation and related to psql — PostgreSQL interactive terminal
I look forward to hearing from you
Hi! I'd like to work on this issue for Hacktoberfest. I can help elaborate on the Postgres SQL lessons by:
• Adding clear explanations of what PSQL is (PostgreSQL interactive terminal/CLI tool) • Explaining where the database is located in the file system • Clarifying how the local database accepts and responds to requests (connection architecture) • Expanding on what packages like libpq-dev and postgresql actually do • Explaining what starting the PostgreSQL service means
I'll update the markdown files in the NodeJS path with these clarifications while keeping the content accessible for beginners. Could you please assign this issue to me? Thanks!
@manelly67 I know it's been a while but do you still want to work on this?
Hi @CouchofTomato If you agree with what I suggested, I am interested in helping with this issue.