Published 2 months ago

Build & Run PostgreSQL from Source: A Developer's Guide

Software Development

Building and Running PostgreSQL from Source Code

This comprehensive guide walks you through the process of building and running a PostgreSQL database server from source code on a Debian-based Linux system. While installing pre-built packages is generally recommended for production environments, building from source offers valuable insights for developers and allows for customized configurations.

Preface

This guide is specifically designed for Debian-based Linux distributions.
The instructions are primarily intended for PostgreSQL development purposes. For standard deployments, consider installing pre-compiled packages from your distribution's repository for optimal stability and ease of use.

Step 1: Install Git and Clone the PostgreSQL Repository

First, ensure Git is installed. If not, use the following command:

sudo apt-get install git

Next, clone the official PostgreSQL repository. You can choose any directory; here, we'll use ~/Workplace:

mkdir -p ~/Workplace
cd Workplace/
git clone git://git.postgresql.org/git/postgresql.git

Step 2: Install Required Build Dependencies

Before building PostgreSQL, install necessary dependencies:

sudo apt-get install -y build-essential git gdb lcov bison flex libkrb5-dev libssl-dev libldap-dev libpam0g-dev python3-dev tcl-dev libperl-dev gettext libxml2-dev libxslt1-dev libreadline-dev libedit-dev uuid-dev libossp-uuid-dev libipc-run-perl perl

The configure script will check for these packages, prompting for installation if any are missing. Note that the specific package names and versions may vary slightly depending on your distribution.

Step 3: Building and Installing PostgreSQL

Create a separate directory for build files, set the PG_DIR_PREFIX environment variable to specify the installation location, and enable debugging. This will aid in troubleshooting during development. Avoid building within the source directory for better organization.

cd postgresql
mkdir -p ${HOME}/Workplace/build/pgsql/master/
export PG_DIR_PREFIX=${HOME}/Workplace/build/pgsql/master
./configure --prefix=${PG_DIR_PREFIX} --enable-depend --enable-debug --enable-cassert --enable-tap-tests CFLAGS=-O0
make
make install

The CFLAGS=-O0 flag disables optimization, improving debugging capabilities. You can remove it for a production build to optimize performance.

Step 4: Initialize and Start the PostgreSQL Server

Initialize the database cluster and start the PostgreSQL server:

mkdir -p ${PG_DIR_PREFIX}/data
${PG_DIR_PREFIX}/bin/initdb -D ${PG_DIR_PREFIX}/data
${PG_DIR_PREFIX}/bin/pg_ctl -D ${PG_DIR_PREFIX}/data -l logfile start

The -l logfile option redirects server logs to a file named logfile in the data directory. This is extremely helpful for debugging.

Step 5: Verify PostgreSQL is Running

Check the process list to confirm PostgreSQL is running:

ps -ef | grep postgres

You should see several postgres processes indicating the server is operational.

Step 6: Connect to PostgreSQL using psql

Before using psql, set the shared library path:

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}:${PG_DIR_PREFIX}/lib

Connect to the database using the psql command:

${PG_DIR_PREFIX}/bin/psql -d postgres

Test the connection by querying the version:

postgres=# select version();

Step 7: Disconnect from PostgreSQL

Type \q to disconnect from the psql client.

postgres=# \q

Step 8: Stop PostgreSQL

To gracefully stop the PostgreSQL server, use:

${PG_DIR_PREFIX}/bin/pg_ctl stop -D ${PG_DIR_PREFIX}/data -m smart

The -m smart option ensures a clean shutdown, minimizing data corruption risks.

This guide provides a foundation for building and running PostgreSQL from source. In future articles, we will explore advanced topics such as debugging and performance optimization.

Hashtags: #PostgreSQL # Linux # SourceCode # Database # Build # Installation # Configuration # Debugging # Development # Server

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