Here’s a helpful, real-world story related to (the PostgreSQL sample database from Udemy’s PostgreSQL courses). The Story: “The Analyst Who Couldn’t Find the Right Data” Meet Priya. She just enrolled in an advanced SQL course on Udemy. The instructor says: “Download dvdrental.tar — it’s a classic DVD rental database we’ll use for all exercises.” Priya finds the file, but her first problem appears immediately: It’s a .tar archive, not a .sql script. She double‑clicks it — nothing works. Step 1 – Understanding the .tar file She searches online and learns: dvdrental.tar is a custom PostgreSQL backup format created with pg_dump -Fc . It’s compressed and includes schema + data, but you cannot open it in a text editor or import it like a CSV. Step 2 – The right restoration method Priya uses pg_restore (the correct tool for .tar files). In her terminal (or pgAdmin’s restore dialog), she runs: