How to Install PostgreSQL on Ubuntu 26.04

---

PostgreSQL is a powerful, open-source object-relational database system with over 30 years of active development, earning a strong reputation for reliability, feature robustness, and performance.

Install PostgreSQL

---

Update your package list and install PostgreSQL using the following commands:

apt update
apt install postgresql postgresql-contrib

Output:

root@server:~# apt update
apt install postgresql postgresql-contrib
Hit:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute InRelease
Hit:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute-updates InRelease
Hit:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute-backports InRelease
Hit:4 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute-security InRelease
All packages are up to date.
Installing:
  postgresql

Installing dependencies:
  postgresql-18  postgresql-client-18  postgresql-common  libpq5

Summary:
  Upgrading: 0, Installing: 10, Removing: 0, Not Upgrading: 0

PostgreSQL Roles and Databases

---

We'll now switch to the postgres user account. Run:

sudo -i -u postgres

Then access the PostgreSQL prompt using psql:

psql

Output:

postgres@server:~$ psql
psql (18.3 (Ubuntu 18.3-1))
Type "help" for help.

postgres=#

To exit the PostgreSQL prompt, type:

\q

Create a PostgreSQL Role

---

To create a new PostgreSQL user (role), run:

createuser --interactive

Output:

postgres@ubuntu26:~$ createuser --interactive
Enter name of role to add: adam
Shall the new role be a superuser? (y/n) y

Create a PostgreSQL Database

---

Create a new database as the postgres user:

createdb database_name

Example:

postgres@ubuntu26:~$ createdb my_db

Open a Postgres Prompt with the New Role

---

Now, create a Linux system user with the same name as the PostgreSQL role (for easier access):

adduser username

Example:

root@server:~# adduser adam
Adding user `adam' ...
Adding new group `adam' (1001) ...
Adding new user `adam' (1001) with group `adam' ...
Creating home directory `/home/adam' ...
New password:
Retype new password:
passwd: password updated successfully

Switch to the new Linux user:

su username

Example:

su adam

Then connect to the database:

psql -d database_name

Example:

psql -d my_db

Once connected, you can check your connection info using:

\conninfo

Output:

my_db=# \conninfo
You are connected to database "my_db" as user "adam" via socket in "/var/run/postgresql" at port "5432".

That concludes installing and basic setup of PostgreSQL on Ubuntu 26.04!