[test-data/] Formatting and updates

test-data/README.md

@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 
 Generate test data to aid in performance exploration and analysis.
 
-## Why?
+
+## Overview
 
 It's common to run into performance issues in production where accumulated data and high query volume to the database slows
 down the execution times of queries. To have a chance of catching those issues at development-time, we need to simulate
@@ -14,23 +15,36 @@ data is easy! The `test-data` project shows how to generate a lot of basic data
 
 ---
 
+
 ## Instructions
 
 Follow these instructions to generate test data in a local Postgres database.
 
-1. Alias the psql command:
-    * `alias psqlDo="psql --username postgres --host localhost"`
-1. Apply the schema:
-    * `psqlDo -f numbers-schema.ddl`
-1. Generate one million rows of test data:
-    * `psqlDo -f generate-numbers.sql -v rows=1000000`
-1. Execute a sort and notice how slow it is!
-    * `psqlDo -c 'explain analyze select x from numbers order by x'`
+1. Start the Postgres server
+    * Use whatever method you prefer: HomeBrew, Docker, etc. Depending on how you install it, the username and database
+      name will differ so take care to adjust the `psql` commands accordingly.
+2. Apply the schema:
+    * ```shell
+      psql -f numbers-schema.ddl
+      ```
+3. Generate one million rows of test data:
+    * ```shell
+      psql -f generate-numbers.sql -v rows=1000000
+      ```
+4. Execute a sort and notice how slow it is!
+    * ```shell
+      psql -c 'explain analyze select x from numbers order by x'
+      ```
     * Note that the `explain analyze` will conveniently print the execution time and not print the result set. 
-1. Generate **ten** million rows: 
-    * `psqlDo -f generate-numbers.sql -v rows=10000000`
-1. Execute the same sort operation and notice how it is many times slower:
-    * `psqlDo -c 'explain analyze select x from numbers order by x'`
+5. Generate **ten** million rows: 
+    * ```shell
+      psql -f generate-numbers.sql -v rows=10000000
+      ```
+6. Execute the same sort operation and notice how it is many times slower:
+    * ```shell
+      psql -c 'explain analyze select x from numbers order by x'
+      ```
+
 
 ## Reference