Introduction
============

**PyGreSQL** is an *open-source* `Python <http://www.python.org>`_ module
that interfaces to a `PostgreSQL <http://www.postgresql.org>`_ database.
It embeds the PostgreSQL query library to allow easy use of the powerful
PostgreSQL features from a Python script.

| This software is copyright &copy; 1995, Pascal Andre.
| Further modifications are copyright &copy; 1997-2008 by D'Arcy J.M. Cain.
| Further modifications are copyright &copy; 2009-2012 by the PyGreSQL team

**PostgreSQL** is a highly scalable, SQL compliant, open source
object-relational database management system. With more than 15 years
of development history, it is quickly becoming the de facto database
for enterprise level open source solutions.
Best of all, PostgreSQL's source code is available under the most liberal
open source license: the BSD license.

**Python** Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented
programming language. It is often compared to Tcl, Perl, Scheme or Java.
Python combines remarkable power with very clear syntax. It has modules,
classes, exceptions, very high level dynamic data types, and dynamic typing.
There are interfaces to many system calls and libraries, as well as to
various windowing systems (X11, Motif, Tk, Mac, MFC). New built-in modules
are easily written in C or C++. Python is also usable as an extension
language for applications that need a programmable interface.
The Python implementation is copyrighted but freely usable and distributable,
even for commercial use.

**PyGreSQL** is a Python module that interfaces to a PostgreSQL database.
It embeds the PostgreSQL query library to allow easy use of the powerful
PostgreSQL features from a Python script.

PyGreSQL is developed and tested on a NetBSD system, but it should also
run on most other platforms where PostgreSQL and Python is running.  It is
based on the PyGres95 code written by Pascal Andre (andre@chimay.via.ecp.fr).
D'Arcy (darcy@druid.net) renamed it to PyGreSQL starting with
version 2.0 and serves as the "BDFL" of PyGreSQL.

The current version PyGreSQL 4.2 needs PostgreSQL 8.3 and Python 2.5 or above.
