The PostgreSQL statistics collector provides a way to access key metrics about database health and performance. The collector aggregates data internally but also allows users to query predefined statistics views to gain visibility into their databases. These views include `pg_stat_database`, `pg_stat_user_tables`, `pg_stat_user_indexes`, and others, which provide information on connections, commits, rollbacks, rows fetched and returned, and more. Users can configure the collector to collect specific metrics by enabling them in the PostgreSQL configuration file. The collector process continuously aggregates data but reports it only at specified intervals. In addition to native views, users can access other PostgreSQL statistics through system administration functions and open source monitoring tools like PgHero, which provides a dashboard to visualize database health and performance. By using these tools, users can monitor their databases, identify potential issues, and optimize performance.