# Dockerizing PostgreSQL > **Note**: > - **If you don't like sudo** then see [*Giving non-root > access*](../installation/binaries.md#giving-non-root-access) ## Installing PostgreSQL on Docker Assuming there is no Docker image that suits your needs on the [Docker Hub](http://hub.docker.com), you can create one yourself. Start by creating a new `Dockerfile`: > **Note**: > This PostgreSQL setup is for development-only purposes. Refer to the > PostgreSQL documentation to fine-tune these settings so that it is > suitably secure. # # example Dockerfile for https://docs.docker.com/examples/postgresql_service/ # FROM ubuntu MAINTAINER SvenDowideit@docker.com # Add the PostgreSQL PGP key to verify their Debian packages. # It should be the same key as https://www.postgresql.org/media/keys/ACCC4CF8.asc RUN apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://p80.pool.sks-keyservers.net:80 --recv-keys B97B0AFCAA1A47F044F244A07FCC7D46ACCC4CF8 # Add PostgreSQL's repository. It contains the most recent stable release # of PostgreSQL, ``9.3``. RUN echo "deb http://apt.postgresql.org/pub/repos/apt/ precise-pgdg main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pgdg.list # Install ``python-software-properties``, ``software-properties-common`` and PostgreSQL 9.3 # There are some warnings (in red) that show up during the build. You can hide # them by prefixing each apt-get statement with DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y python-software-properties software-properties-common postgresql-9.3 postgresql-client-9.3 postgresql-contrib-9.3 # Note: The official Debian and Ubuntu images automatically ``apt-get clean`` # after each ``apt-get`` # Run the rest of the commands as the ``postgres`` user created by the ``postgres-9.3`` package when it was ``apt-get installed`` USER postgres # Create a PostgreSQL role named ``docker`` with ``docker`` as the password and # then create a database `docker` owned by the ``docker`` role. # Note: here we use ``&&\`` to run commands one after the other - the ``\`` # allows the RUN command to span multiple lines. RUN /etc/init.d/postgresql start &&\ psql --command "CREATE USER docker WITH SUPERUSER PASSWORD 'docker';" &&\ createdb -O docker docker # Adjust PostgreSQL configuration so that remote connections to the # database are possible. RUN echo "host all all 0.0.0.0/0 md5" >> /etc/postgresql/9.3/main/pg_hba.conf # And add ``listen_addresses`` to ``/etc/postgresql/9.3/main/postgresql.conf`` RUN echo "listen_addresses='*'" >> /etc/postgresql/9.3/main/postgresql.conf # Expose the PostgreSQL port EXPOSE 5432 # Add VOLUMEs to allow backup of config, logs and databases VOLUME ["/etc/postgresql", "/var/log/postgresql", "/var/lib/postgresql"] # Set the default command to run when starting the container CMD ["/usr/lib/postgresql/9.3/bin/postgres", "-D", "/var/lib/postgresql/9.3/main", "-c", "config_file=/etc/postgresql/9.3/main/postgresql.conf"] Build an image from the Dockerfile assign it a name. $ docker build -t eg_postgresql . And run the PostgreSQL server container (in the foreground): $ docker run --rm -P --name pg_test eg_postgresql There are 2 ways to connect to the PostgreSQL server. We can use [*Link Containers*](../userguide/networking/default_network/dockerlinks.md), or we can access it from our host (or the network). > **Note**: > The `--rm` removes the container and its image when > the container exits successfully. ### Using container linking Containers can be linked to another container's ports directly using `-link remote_name:local_alias` in the client's `docker run`. This will set a number of environment variables that can then be used to connect: $ docker run --rm -t -i --link pg_test:pg eg_postgresql bash postgres@7ef98b1b7243:/$ psql -h $PG_PORT_5432_TCP_ADDR -p $PG_PORT_5432_TCP_PORT -d docker -U docker --password ### Connecting from your host system Assuming you have the postgresql-client installed, you can use the host-mapped port to test as well. You need to use `docker ps` to find out what local host port the container is mapped to first: $ docker ps CONTAINER ID IMAGE COMMAND CREATED STATUS PORTS NAMES 5e24362f27f6 eg_postgresql:latest /usr/lib/postgresql/ About an hour ago Up About an hour 0.0.0.0:49153->5432/tcp pg_test $ psql -h localhost -p 49153 -d docker -U docker --password ### Testing the database Once you have authenticated and have a `docker =#` prompt, you can create a table and populate it. psql (9.3.1) Type "help" for help. $ docker=# CREATE TABLE cities ( docker(# name varchar(80), docker(# location point docker(# ); CREATE TABLE $ docker=# INSERT INTO cities VALUES ('San Francisco', '(-194.0, 53.0)'); INSERT 0 1 $ docker=# select * from cities; name | location ---------------+----------- San Francisco | (-194,53) (1 row) ### Using the container volumes You can use the defined volumes to inspect the PostgreSQL log files and to backup your configuration and data: $ docker run --rm --volumes-from pg_test -t -i busybox sh / # ls bin etc lib linuxrc mnt proc run sys usr dev home lib64 media opt root sbin tmp var / # ls /etc/postgresql/9.3/main/ environment pg_hba.conf postgresql.conf pg_ctl.conf pg_ident.conf start.conf /tmp # ls /var/log ldconfig postgresql