How to Install PostgreSQL on Rocky Linux 9: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

PostgreSQL, often referred to as Postgres, is a powerful and open-source relational database management system known for its advanced features and reliability. In this step-by-step tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing PostgreSQL on a Rocky Linux 9 system. Additionally, we will cover essential database management tasks, providing you with the knowledge to work effectively with PostgreSQL on your Rocky Linux-powered server.

Version note: Rocky Linux 9.8 introduced PostgreSQL 18 in AppStream. This guide selects that stream explicitly; use Rocky Linux 9.8 or later for these commands. See the Rocky Linux 9.8 release notes and the PostgreSQL versioning policy.

Preconditions

Before you begin the installation process, ensure you have met the following prerequisites:

1. A Rocky Linux 9 system.
2. Root or sudo access on the system.
3. A stable internet connection to download PostgreSQL packages.
4. Familiarity with basic command-line operations in Rocky Linux.

With these prerequisites in place, let’s proceed with the installation.

Installing PostgreSQL on Rocky Linux 9

Step 1: Update the System

Start by ensuring your Rocky Linux 9 system is up to date. Open a terminal and run the following commands:

sudo dnf update

This command will update the package list and upgrade existing packages on your system.

Step 2: Install PostgreSQL

Install the PostgreSQL 18 server module:

sudo dnf module install postgresql:18/server

This selects the PostgreSQL 18 stream and its server profile.

Step 3: Initialize the PostgreSQL Database

After the installation, initialize the PostgreSQL database cluster by running:

sudo postgresql-setup --initdb

This command will create the necessary directory structure and configuration files for PostgreSQL.

Step 4: Start and Enable PostgreSQL

To start the PostgreSQL service and enable it to start automatically at boot, use these commands:

sudo systemctl start postgresql
sudo systemctl enable postgresql

Creating a PostgreSQL User and Database

Let’s create a new PostgreSQL user and database. Replace your_user and your_password with your preferred values:

sudo -u postgres createuser your_user
sudo -u postgres createdb -O your_user your_database

To illustrate PostgreSQL’s capabilities, let’s create a simple table in the newly created database. Access the PostgreSQL command-line tool, psql, using the following command:

sudo -u postgres psql -d your_database

Once in the psql prompt, execute the following SQL commands to create a basic table:

CREATE TABLE example (
    id serial PRIMARY KEY,
    name VARCHAR (100),
    age INT
);

Managing the PostgreSQL Service

To manage the PostgreSQL service on Rocky Linux 9, you can use the following commands:

• Start PostgreSQL service: sudo systemctl start postgresql

• Stop PostgreSQL service: sudo systemctl stop postgresql

• Restart PostgreSQL service: sudo systemctl restart postgresql

• Check PostgreSQL service status: sudo systemctl status postgresql

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed PostgreSQL on your Rocky Linux 9 system, created a database, and learned how to perform basic management tasks. PostgreSQL’s extensive feature set makes it a versatile choice for various data storage needs.

With PostgreSQL now installed and running, you are well-prepared to build and manage databases for your Rocky Linux-based applications, leveraging its scalability and reliability for your data-driven projects. Explore PostgreSQL’s documentation to discover its full potential and adapt it to your specific requirements.

If you want to learn more about PostgreSQL, please use our PostgreSQL tutorials and PostgreSQL Reference.