Installing PostgreSQL on CentOS

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Installing PostgreSQL on CentOS

PostgreSQL is the world's most advanced open source database. Its stability, functionality, and extensibility make it a primary choice for an RDBMS solution. In this hands-on lab scenario you are the DBA for Awesome Company. You have been tasked with building a PostgreSQL database backend to facilitate the development of a new web application. This will help you become familiar with how to install the software, initialize the database, and make an initial connection as the administrative user.

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Lab Info

Level

Intermediate

Last updated

Sep 23, 2025

Duration

15m

Challenge

Install the PostgreSQL Software

Open the distribution .repo file in vi:

$ sudo vi /etc/yum.repos.d/CentOS-Base.repo

Exclude PostgreSQL by appending the following line to both the [base] and [updates] sections:
```
$ exclude=postgresql*
```

Download and install the PGDG file from postgresql.org:

$ sudo yum -y install https://download.postgresql.org/pub/repos/yum/reporpms/EL-7-x86_64/pgdg-redhat-repo-latest.noarch.rpm

Install PostgreSQL 12:

$ sudo yum install -y postgresql12-server postgresql12-contrib

Challenge

Initialize the Database

Initialize the database:

$ sudo /usr/pgsql-12/bin/postgresql-12-setup initdb

Start and enable the postgresql-12 service:

$ sudo systemctl start postgresql-12
$ sudo systemctl enable postgresql-12

Challenge

Connect as the Default User
- Change to the postgres user and launch psql:
  $ sudo su - postgres $ psql

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