---
title: "Structure of the Bootstrap BKI File"
id: bki-structure
pg_version: "20devel"
---

<a id="bki-structure"></a>

## 68.5. Structure of the Bootstrap BKI File

The `open` command cannot be used until the tables it uses exist and have entries for the table that is to be opened. (These minimum tables are pg_class, pg_attribute, pg_proc, and pg_type.) To allow those tables themselves to be filled, `create` with the `bootstrap` option implicitly opens the created table for data insertion. 

Also, the `declare index` and `declare toast` commands cannot be used until the system catalogs they need have been created and filled in. 

Thus, the structure of the `postgres.bki` file has to be: 
1.  `create bootstrap` one of the critical tables 
2.  `insert` data describing at least the critical tables 
3.  `close` 
4.  Repeat for the other critical tables. 
5.  `create` (without `bootstrap`) a noncritical table 
6.  `open` 
7.  `insert` desired data 
8.  `close` 
9.  Repeat for the other noncritical tables. 
10.  Define indexes and TOAST tables. 
11.  `build indices` 

 

There are doubtless other, undocumented ordering dependencies.