Installation Basics

8 examples for installing PostgreSQL 18 on common platforms - 6 basic and 2 intermediate.

Prerequisites

# Verify you have sudo or root for package installs
uname -a

• Target PostgreSQL 18.4 (stable 18) or the current minor of your supported major.
• Prefer official packages over source builds unless you need custom compile flags.
• Run the database OS user as a dedicated postgres account, never as root.

Basic Examples

1. Check Installed Version

Confirm what is already on the host before changing anything.

psql --version
postgres --version

• psql is the client; postgres is the server binary.
• Major version must match across client and server for pg_dump restores.
• Cloud managed instances hide the binary - use SELECT version(); instead.

Related: initdb & Data Directory - first cluster setup

2. Install on Debian/Ubuntu

Use the PGDG apt repository for current majors.

sudo apt install -y postgresql-common
sudo /usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg/apt.postgresql.org.sh
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y postgresql-18 postgresql-client-18

• PGDG tracks releases faster than distro default packages.
• postgresql-18 creates a cluster via initdb automatically on Debian-family systems.
• Pin the major in automation - do not rely on postgresql metapackage alone.

3. Install on RHEL/Rocky/Alma

Enable the PGDG yum repo and install the server package.

sudo dnf install -y https://download.postgresql.org/pub/repos/yum/reporpms/EL-9-x86_64/pgdg-redhat-repo-latest.noarch.rpm
sudo dnf -qy module disable postgresql
sudo dnf install -y postgresql18-server postgresql18
sudo /usr/pgsql-18/bin/postgresql-18-setup initdb
sudo systemctl enable --now postgresql-18

• Disable the stock postgresql module to avoid version conflicts.
• postgresql-18-setup initdb creates PGDATA under /var/lib/pgsql/18/data.
• Enable systemd unit at boot for production hosts.

Related: Systemd & Service Management - start/stop/reload

4. Install on macOS (Homebrew)

Fast local dev installs on Apple Silicon or Intel Macs.

brew install postgresql@18
brew services start postgresql@18
echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/postgresql@18/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc

• Homebrew does not create a postgres system user - your macOS user owns the data dir.
• Add the keg-only bin path to PATH for psql and initdb.
• Fine for development; use packages or containers for production parity.

5. Verify Server Is Running

Connect locally and read the catalog version.

SELECT version();
SHOW server_version;
SHOW data_directory;

• server_version is the numeric GUC; version() includes build flags.
• data_directory confirms which PGDATA this instance uses.
• If connection fails, check pg_hba.conf and whether the service is up.

6. Packages vs Source Build

Choose packages unless you have a documented reason to compile.

• Packages ship tested combinations of libraries and systemd units.
• Source builds shift patch responsibility to your team.
• Document the install method in your runbook either way.

Intermediate Examples

7. Docker for Local Dev

Run an isolated 18.x instance without touching the host install.

docker run -d \
  --name pg18 \
  -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=devonly \
  -p 5432:5432 \
  -v pg18data:/var/lib/postgresql/data \
  postgres:18.4

• Named volume persists data across container restarts.
• Bind-mount host dirs only when you understand UID mapping on Linux.
• Never use default passwords outside localhost.

Related: pg_hba.conf & Authentication - tighten auth after bootstrap

8. Supported OS Baselines

Align host OS with vendor support windows.

• Run a supported OS minor before upgrading PostgreSQL major.
• EOL OS + current Postgres is a compliance risk even if the binary installs.
• Cloud managed Postgres removes OS patching from your scope but not version policy.

Stack versions: This page was written for PostgreSQL 18.4 (stable 18, maintenance 17), pgvector 0.8+, PgBouncer 1.x, Patroni 3.x, and PostGIS 3.5+.