PostgreSQL Default Port

1. What is PostgreSQL
2. PostgreSQL and Its Ports
3. PostgreSQL Default Port

With over 30 years of active development, PostgreSQL is a powerful object-relational, open-source database application, well-known for its robustness, reliability, speed, and top-notch performance.

What is PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is a highly stable database used as a primary database for various mobile, web, and analytical applications. It is an open source code that is freely available under an open source license allowing you the freedom to use, modify and implement as per your requirements.

It is a powerful, robust database tool that excels in its area while minimizing costs.

PostgreSQL facilitates a connection between the client and server using an IP address, port number, port, and the PostgreSQL default port number. It’s essential to know the purpose of ports to understand the connection between databases on one network.

PostgreSQL and Its Ports

A port provides means to communicate. It is a virtual point where connections of the network start and end.

Ports, being software-based, are managed by a computer’s operating system. Each of the ports serves a specific service or process.

They are endpoints of services present for communication purposes, allowing a particular application to bind with the port with the intent to communicate where needed. A PostgreSQL default port is configured to navigate through The SQL server services.

A unique port number and IP address combination connect client applications to SQL servers.

If you intend to access a client’s data present on a different computer but the same network, it becomes necessary to open a remote port.

In this manner, data of clients or remote users that is widespread and present in multiple locations on a network can quickly, efficiently, and securely be accessed on a database through a port number.

The database in PostgreSQL is connected to a default port number where the database communicates. There is, however, a valid port range for custom configurations in 1024-32767.

In database administration, port numbers and IP addresses play an essential role in the database management system to initiate a connection with clients or remote users. This is called a TCP/IP connection.

A local socket is used for configuration. Various connections in the network are established with a database with the help of an IP address and a port number.

However, some confusion arises when figuring out the correct PostgreSQL default port for your database.

PostgreSQL Default Port

PostgreSQL default port configured for this service is 5432. The database is available on localhost, where the PostgreSQL default port is 5432.

Here a default database with the name Postgres and a default user with the name hosting-DB already exist, allowing you to test your connection and make sure it’s functional. There are default settings to consider.

1. Database: Postgres (default)
2. User: hosting-DB (default)
3. Password: none
4. Port: 5432
5. Host: localhost

Nevertheless, as it happens, some users have reported their PostgreSQL service shows 5432 to be occupied. While you may be confused to see this, it’s important to know etc/services servers as only advisory.

It is a listing of ports that are well known. However, it does not necessarily mean that anything is running on that port or that a specific named service will run on it.

PostgreSQL’s default port is typically port 5432 if available; if it isn’t available, installers choose the next free port, usually 5433.

It is possible to see what is currently running using the netstat tool available on OS X, Windows, and Linux with command line syntax across these three.

It is a little complicated on Mac OS X systems simply because of the different PostgreSQL packages.

Commonly, the PostgreSQL default port is configured in:

sudo vi  /your installation path/data/PostgreSQL.conf

If you’re using Ubuntu, the path is:

sudo vi /your installation path/main/PostgreSQL.conf

If you use Mac OS X, Apple’s outdated version of PostgreSQL poses some problems. What happens is that the user installs Pg and proceeds to start a server from one packaging, but it fuses the libpq and psql client from a different packaging.

Usually, this occurs when Postgres is being run on Homebrew Pg and connecting with psql shipped with the OS. These sometimes have different default ports, but simultaneously, the Pg shipped with Mac OS X has another default Unix socket path.

Hence, even if the server is running on the same port, it will not be listening to the same Unix socket.

Most Mac users work around this using TCP/IP with psql -h localhost. Specify a port, e.g., psql -h localhost -p 5433 if needed.

Multiple PostgreSQL instances may run, so you need to make sure the one you’re connecting to is the right one by using select version() and SHOW data_directory commands.

Another way to specify a Unix socket directory is by checking the unix_socket_directories setting of the PostgreSQL instance you wish to connect to. Specify with psql -h for example psql -h/tmp.

A cleaner solution involves correcting your system PATH so that the psql and libpq associated with the PostgreSQL you are currently running are what’s found first on the PATH. However, details of this depend on your Mac OS X version and which Pg packages you install.

In this article, we dived into PostgreSQL default ports and the problems you may face trying to connect to the correct default port. We hope it clears any confusion regarding the default ports and how to go about errors that may show up.