At the fundamental awareness level, individuals have a basic understanding of what PostgreSQL is and its role in data management. They are familiar with the concept of relational databases and have a rudimentary knowledge of SQL. They may not be able to perform tasks independently but they understand the general principles.

Novices can install and configure PostgreSQL, create and manage databases and tables, and perform basic data manipulation and querying using simple SQL commands like SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE. They understand different data types in PostgreSQL. However, their understanding is still limited and they may need guidance for more complex tasks.

Intermediate users are proficient in complex SQL queries including JOIN, UNION, INTERSECT, EXCEPT. They understand indexes, transactions, functions, stored procedures, triggers, and rules. They can perform backup and restore operations. They can handle common tasks and solve problems with some degree of independence.

Advanced users can optimize performance, understand replication and partitioning, set up high availability, load balancing, and failover, and use advanced security features. They understand PostgreSQL's system architecture and can use foreign data wrappers. They can manage complex tasks and troubleshoot issues independently.

Experts have a deep understanding of PostgreSQL internals, can design and implement complex database schemas, manage large-scale PostgreSQL deployments, and troubleshoot complex issues. They may contribute to PostgreSQL's open-source project and have knowledge of advanced topics like machine learning with PostgreSQL. They can handle any task, no matter how complex, independently.