Prerequisites
Before creating a database in pgAdmin on Debian, ensure:
- PostgreSQL server is installed and running (
sudo apt install postgresql postgresql-contrib && sudo systemctl start postgresql && sudo systemctl enable postgresql).
- pgAdmin4 is installed (
sudo apt install pgadmin4).
- A pgAdmin server connection is configured (follow steps in the “Configuring pgAdmin” section below).
Steps to Create a Database in pgAdmin
1. Configure pgAdmin Server Connection
To manage PostgreSQL databases via pgAdmin, you must first add a server connection:
- Open pgAdmin in your browser (e.g.,
http://localhost:5050) and log in.
- In the left navigation pane, right-click the Servers node and select Create > Server.
- In the General tab, enter a descriptive name (e.g., “Local PostgreSQL”).
- Switch to the Connection tab and fill in:
- Host:
localhost (for local connections) or the server’s IP address.
- Port:
5432 (default PostgreSQL port; change if modified in postgresql.conf).
- Maintenance database:
postgres (default system database).
- Username: The PostgreSQL superuser (e.g.,
postgres) or a custom user with permissions.
- Password: The password for the selected user.
- Click Save to establish the connection. The server will appear under the Servers node.
2. Create a Database
Once connected to the server, follow these steps to create a database:
- In the left navigation pane, expand the connected server node.
- Right-click the Databases node and select Create > Database.
- In the Create - Database dialog, configure the following:
- General tab:
- Database name: Enter a unique name (e.g.,
myapp_db).
- Owner: Select a user (e.g.,
pgadmin_user; created in the “Prerequisites” section) who will own the database.
- Optional Settings (adjust as needed):
- Character encoding: Use
UTF8 (recommended for compatibility).
- Collation/Locale: Keep default unless specific localization is required.
- Connection limits: Set maximum connections (e.g.,
-1 for unlimited).
- Click Save to create the database. The new database will appear under the Databases node.
Key Notes
- If you encounter connection issues, verify:
- PostgreSQL service is running (
sudo systemctl status postgresql).
postgresql.conf allows connections (listen_addresses = '*') and pg_hba.conf grants access to your IP.- Firewall allows port 5432 (for local access,
ufw allow 5432/tcp).
- For remote servers, replace
localhost with the server’s IP and ensure PostgreSQL is configured to accept remote connections.