Install PostgreSQL on Debian: apt server, PGDG, and systemd

PostgreSQL is the open-source relational database behind many web apps, analytics stacks, and GIS workloads. On Debian, the postgresql metapackage installs the server, creates a local cluster, starts systemd service postgresql, and includes psql for administration.

This guide covers install PostgreSQL on Debian for Debian 11 (Bullseye), 12 (Bookworm), and 13 (Trixie): install from Debian main, verify with systemctl and psql, create roles and databases, add the PostgreSQL Apt Repository (PGDG) for other majors, update, and uninstall. I ran these steps on Debian 13 and kept real terminal output below. For client tools only (no local server), see install psql on Debian.

Tested on: Debian 13 (trixie); kernel 6.12.94+deb13-amd64; amd64; PostgreSQL 17.10; port 5432; data at /var/lib/postgresql/17/main.

NOTE

apt install postgresql installs a running database server on your machine. Use postgresql-client or postgresql-client-N when you only need psql to reach a remote instance—see install psql on Debian.

Choose an install method

Method	Best for	Installs server?
`apt install postgresql`	Default Debian server matching your release	Yes (17 on Trixie)
`apt install postgresql-N`	Pin a specific major from Debian main	Yes
PGDG	PostgreSQL 18, 16, or latest minors from PostgreSQL.org	Yes (per `postgresql-N` package)
`postgresql-client` only	Connect to RDS, Docker, or remote Postgres	No — psql guide

Most readers should start with sudo apt install postgresql when they want a local database on Debian.

Default PostgreSQL major by Debian release

Debian	Codename	Default server package
13	`trixie`	postgresql-17
12	`bookworm`	postgresql-15
11	`bullseye`	postgresql-13

Confirm on your host:

bash

apt-cache policy postgresql postgresql-17 2>/dev/null | head -12

On Trixie before install:

text


postgresql:
  Candidate: 17+278
postgresql-17:
  Candidate: 17.10-0+deb13u1

Prerequisites

Debian 11, 12, or 13 on amd64, arm64, or other PGDG architectures.
sudo for package installation.
Disk space for the data directory (default cluster uses 128MB shared_buffers and grows with your data).
APT mirrors configured.

bash


. /etc/os-release && echo "$PRETTY_NAME ($VERSION_CODENAME)"
command -v psql || echo "psql: not installed"

Install PostgreSQL from Debian apt

Per Debian Wiki — PostgreSQL and postgresql.org Debian download, the supported path on current Debian is postgresql from main:

bash

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y postgresql

Cluster initialization (excerpt from install output):

text


selecting default time zone ... America/New_York
creating configuration files ... ok
running bootstrap script ... ok
performing post-bootstrap initialization ... ok
syncing data to disk ... ok
Setting up postgresql (17+278) ...

Packages installed on Trixie:

text


ii  postgresql                17+278
ii  postgresql-17             17.10-0+deb13u1
ii  postgresql-client-17      17.10-0+deb13u1
ii  postgresql-client-common  278
ii  postgresql-common         278

Verify the server

Service status

bash


sudo systemctl status postgresql --no-pager | head -10
pg_lsclusters

text


● postgresql.service - PostgreSQL RDBMS
     Loaded: loaded (...; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (exited) since Mon 2026-06-29 09:52:21 EDT
Ver Cluster Port Status Owner    Data directory              Log file
17  main    5432 online postgres /var/lib/postgresql/17/main /var/log/postgresql/postgresql-17-main.log

Version and port

bash


psql --version
sudo -u postgres psql -c "SELECT version();"
sudo -u postgres psql -c "SHOW port;"
sudo -u postgres psql -c "SHOW data_directory;"

text


psql (PostgreSQL) 17.10 (Debian 17.10-0+deb13u1)
 PostgreSQL 17.10 (Debian 17.10-0+deb13u1) on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by gcc ...
 port
------
 5432
 data_directory
---------------------------
 /var/lib/postgresql/17/main

List databases:

bash

sudo -u postgres psql -c "\l"

text


postgres  | postgres | UTF8 | libc | en_US.UTF-8 | ...
 template0 | postgres | UTF8 | libc | en_US.UTF-8 | ...
 template1 | postgres | UTF8 | libc | en_US.UTF-8 | ...

Create a role and database

As the postgres system user (peer authentication on local sockets):

bash


sudo -u postgres psql -c "CREATE USER appuser WITH PASSWORD 'your_password';"
sudo -u postgres createdb appdb -O appuser
sudo -u postgres psql -c "\du"

text


Role name |                         Attributes
-----------+------------------------------------------------------------
 appuser   |
 postgres  | Superuser, Create role, Create DB, Replication, Bypass RLS

Connect to the new database:

bash

sudo -u postgres psql -d appdb -c "SELECT current_database(), current_user;"

From an interactive login shell you can also use createuser and createdb. In non-interactive environments, createuser --interactive may block waiting for a TTY—prefer psql -c "CREATE USER ..." in scripts.

Install another major from PGDG

When you need PostgreSQL 18, an older 15 on Trixie, or packages ahead of Debian security, add PGDG.

Automated setup (recommended)

bash


sudo apt install -y postgresql-common curl ca-certificates
sudo /usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg/apt.postgresql.org.sh
sudo apt update
apt-cache policy postgresql-17 | head -10

Manual one-line alternative:

bash


sudo apt install -y curl ca-certificates gnupg
curl -fsSL https://www.postgresql.org/media/keys/ACCC4CF8.asc \
  | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/postgresql-keyring.gpg
echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/postgresql-keyring.gpg] https://apt.postgresql.org/pub/repos/apt \
  $(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME")-pgdg main" \
  | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pgdg.list
sudo apt update

After adding PGDG on Trixie:

text


Get:8 https://apt.postgresql.org/pub/repos/apt trixie-pgdg InRelease
postgresql-17:
  Candidate: 17.10-1.pgdg13+1
 *** 17.10-0+deb13u1  (installed from Debian security)

Install a specific major (example 18):

bash

sudo apt install -y postgresql-18
pg_lsclusters

Multiple majors can coexist—each gets its own port if configured. Full PGDG client/server matrix is documented in install psql on Debian.

IMPORTANT

PGDG is maintained by the PostgreSQL Global Development Group, not the Debian project—review your policy before adding apt.postgresql.org on production systems.

Connect with psql

Local socket (as postgres):

bash

sudo -u postgres psql

TCP to localhost:

bash

psql -h 127.0.0.1 -U postgres -d postgres

Remote server:

bash

psql -h db.example.com -p 5432 -U appuser -d appdb

For connection flags, SSL, and pg_dump, see install psql on Debian.

Update PostgreSQL

bash


sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade postgresql postgresql-17
sudo systemctl restart postgresql
psql --version

Major upgrades between PostgreSQL versions require pg_upgradecluster or dump/restore—apt upgrade applies minor/security updates within the same major. Read Debian Wiki — PostgreSQL before jumping majors on production data.

Uninstall PostgreSQL

Remove Debian default cluster

bash


sudo systemctl stop postgresql
sudo pg_dropcluster 17 main --stop
sudo apt purge postgresql-17 postgresql-client-17 postgresql
sudo apt autoremove --purge

Dry-run removing only the metapackage:

text


REMOVING:
  postgresql
Remv postgresql [17+278]

That removes the metapackage only—postgresql-17 and data remain until you purge versioned packages and drop clusters.

Remove PGDG repository

bash

sudo rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pgdg.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pgdg.sources
sudo apt update

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
`psql: command not found`	Server not installed	`sudo apt install postgresql` or client guide
`Connection refused` on `127.0.0.1`	Server not running or wrong port	`pg_lsclusters`; `sudo systemctl start postgresql`
`peer authentication failed`	Wrong OS user for socket auth	Use `sudo -u postgres psql` or configure `pg_hba.conf`
`createuser` hangs in scripts	Interactive password prompt	Use `psql -c "CREATE USER ..."`
Two versions after PGDG	Multiple clusters	`pg_lsclusters`; connect with `psql -p PORT`
`apt install postgresql` pulls wrong major	Suite default	Install explicit `postgresql-N` or use PGDG

References

Summary

Install PostgreSQL on Debian with sudo apt install postgresql to get the suite default server (17.10 on Trixie), systemd service postgresql, and psql. Confirm with pg_lsclusters, SHOW port, and SELECT version(). Create roles and databases as postgres, add PGDG when you need another major, and remove clusters with pg_dropcluster before apt purge. For client-only installs, use install psql on Debian.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I install PostgreSQL on Debian?

Run sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y postgresql. Debian creates a local cluster, starts the postgresql service, and installs psql. Verify with sudo systemctl status postgresql and psql --version.

2. Which PostgreSQL version does Debian install by default?

Debian 13 (trixie) ships PostgreSQL 17, Debian 12 (bookworm) PostgreSQL 15, and Debian 11 (bullseye) PostgreSQL 13. The postgresql metapackage tracks the suite default—run apt-cache policy postgresql-17 on your release.

3. What is the difference between postgresql and postgresql-client on Debian?

postgresql installs the database server, data directory, and systemd service. postgresql-client installs psql and backup tools only. For a remote-only client, see install psql on Debian instead of the full server package.

4. How do I install a different PostgreSQL major on Debian?

Add the PostgreSQL Apt Repository (PGDG) from postgresql.org/download/linux/debian, then sudo apt install postgresql-18 or another postgresql-N package. Use pg_lsclusters to see running clusters.

5. How do I create a PostgreSQL user and database on Debian?

As postgres: sudo -u postgres psql -c "CREATE USER myuser WITH PASSWORD 'secret';" and sudo -u postgres createdb mydb -O myuser. Or use createuser and createdb interactively from a login shell.

6. What port does PostgreSQL use on Debian?

Default port 5432. Confirm with sudo -u postgres psql -c "SHOW port;" or pg_lsclusters.

7. Where is the PostgreSQL data directory on Debian?

Typically /var/lib/postgresql/N/main for major version N—for example /var/lib/postgresql/17/main on Debian 13 with PostgreSQL 17. pg_lsclusters lists cluster paths.

8. How do I uninstall PostgreSQL from Debian?

Stop the service, run sudo pg_dropcluster N main --stop, then sudo apt purge postgresql-N postgresql-client-N postgresql-common. Remove PGDG sources if you added them.

Choose an install method

Default PostgreSQL major by Debian release

Prerequisites

Install PostgreSQL from Debian apt

Verify the server

Service status

Version and port

Create a role and database

Install another major from PGDG

Automated setup (recommended)

Connect with psql

Update PostgreSQL

Uninstall PostgreSQL

Remove Debian default cluster

Remove PGDG repository

Troubleshooting

References

Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I install PostgreSQL on Debian?

2. Which PostgreSQL version does Debian install by default?

3. What is the difference between postgresql and postgresql-client on Debian?

4. How do I install a different PostgreSQL major on Debian?

5. How do I create a PostgreSQL user and database on Debian?

6. What port does PostgreSQL use on Debian?

7. Where is the PostgreSQL data directory on Debian?

8. How do I uninstall PostgreSQL from Debian?

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