diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/glossary.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/glossary.sgml
index 63ff4bbdf0..0c88988fa6 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/glossary.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/glossary.sgml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
Analyze (operation)
- The process of collecting statistics from data in
+ The act of collecting statistics from data in
tables
and other relations
to help the query planner
@@ -113,8 +113,12 @@
A set of background processes that routinely perform
vacuum
- and analyze
- operations.
+ and analyze operations.
+ The auxiliary process
+ that coordinates the work and is always present (unless autovacuum
+ is disabled) is known as the autovacuum launcher,
+ and the processes that carry out the tasks are known as the
+ autovacuum workers.
For more information, see
@@ -123,6 +127,34 @@
+
+ Auxiliary process
+
+
+ A process within an instance
+ that is in charge of some specific background task for the instance.
+ The auxiliary processes consist of
+
+ the autovacuum launcher
+ (but not the autovacuum workers),
+ the background writer,
+ the checkpointer,
+ the logger,
+ the startup process,
+ the statistics collector,
+ the WAL archiver,
+ the WAL receiver
+ (but not the WAL senders),
+ and the WAL writer.
+
+
+
+
Backend (process)
@@ -163,7 +195,8 @@
Background writer (process)
- A process that writes dirty
+ An auxiliary process
+ that writes dirty
data pages from
shared memory to
the file system. It wakes up periodically, but works only for a short
@@ -285,7 +318,9 @@
Checkpointer (process)
- A specialized process responsible for executing checkpoints.
+ An auxiliary process
+ that is responsible for executing
+ checkpoints.
@@ -778,8 +813,9 @@
Instance
- A group of backend and auxiliary processes that communicate using
- a common shared memory area. One
+ A group of backend and
+ auxiliary processes
+ that communicate using a common shared memory area. One
postmaster process
manages the instance; one instance manages exactly one
database cluster
@@ -881,8 +917,8 @@
Logger (process)
- If activated, the process
- writes information about database events into the current
+ An auxiliary process
+ which, if enabled, writes information about database events into the current
log file.
When reaching certain time- or
volume-dependent criteria, a new log file is created.
@@ -1040,8 +1076,9 @@
The very first process of an instance.
- It starts and manages the other auxiliary processes and creates
- backend processes
+ It starts and manages the
+ auxiliary processes
+ and creates backend processes
on demand.
@@ -1452,6 +1489,22 @@
+
+ Startup process
+
+
+ An auxiliary process
+ that replays WAL during crash recovery and in a
+ physical replica.
+
+
+ (The name is historical: the startup process was named before
+ replication was implemented; the name refers to its task as it
+ relates to the server startup following a crash.)
+
+
+
+
SQL object
@@ -1514,8 +1567,10 @@
Stats collector (process)
- This process collects statistical information about the
- instance's activities.
+ An auxiliary process
+ which, if enabled, receives statistical information
+ about the instance's
+ activities.
For more information, see
@@ -1856,7 +1911,9 @@
WAL archiver (process)
- A process that saves copies of WAL files
+ An auxiliary process
+ which, if enabled, saves copies of
+ WAL files
for the purpose of creating backups or keeping
replicas current.
@@ -1914,11 +1971,44 @@
+
+ WAL receiver
+
+
+ An auxiliary process
+ that runs on a replica
+ to receive WAL from the
+ primary server
+ for replay by the
+ startup process.
+
+
+
+ For more information, see
+ .
+
+
+
+
WAL segment
+
+ WAL sender (process)
+
+
+ A special backend process
+ that streams WAL over a network. The receiving end can be a
+ WAL receiver
+ in a replica,
+ , or any other client program
+ that speaks the replication protocol.
+
+
+
+
WAL writer (process)
diff --git a/src/include/miscadmin.h b/src/include/miscadmin.h
index 2e2e9a364a..90a3016065 100644
--- a/src/include/miscadmin.h
+++ b/src/include/miscadmin.h
@@ -422,6 +422,8 @@ extern ProcessingMode Mode;
* Auxiliary-process type identifiers. These used to be in bootstrap.h
* but it seems saner to have them here, with the ProcessingMode stuff.
* The MyAuxProcType global is defined and set in auxprocess.c.
+ *
+ * Make sure to list in the glossary any items you add here.
*/
typedef enum