How to Manually Install PostgreSQL 18 on Ubuntu 24.04

This guide explains how to manually install PostgreSQL 18 on an Ubuntu 24.04 server.

The instructions in this article are based directly on the supplied PostgreSQL Ansible playbook. Instead of using Ansible to perform the installation automatically, the commands below allow you to perform the same installation steps manually from the Ubuntu terminal.

1. What You Will Install

After completing this guide, PostgreSQL 18 will be installed on your Ubuntu 24.04 server.

The installation will include:

• PostgreSQL 18
• PostgreSQL official APT repository
• PostgreSQL repository signing key
• PostgreSQL service

The PostgreSQL service will also be enabled so that it starts automatically when the server boots.

2. Requirements

Before starting, make sure you have:

• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS installed
• Access to the Ubuntu terminal
• A user account with sudo privileges
• An active internet connection

You can check your Ubuntu version with:

lsb_release -a

Make sure the system reports Ubuntu 24.04.

3. Update Ubuntu

First, update the Ubuntu package information.

sudo apt update

You can also upgrade installed packages:

sudo apt upgrade -y

Wait for the command to finish before continuing.

4. Install the Required Packages

The PostgreSQL Ansible playbook installs the following required packages:

• curl
• ca-certificates
• postgresql-common

Install them manually using:

sudo apt install -y curl ca-certificates postgresql-common

These packages are required to configure the PostgreSQL repository and securely download PostgreSQL packages.

5. Create the PostgreSQL Keyring Directory

The Ansible playbook creates a directory for the PostgreSQL repository signing key.

Create the directory manually:

sudo mkdir -p /usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg

Set the directory permissions:

sudo chmod 755 /usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg

You can verify that the directory exists:

ls -ld /usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg

6. Download the PostgreSQL Repository Signing Key

PostgreSQL provides an official repository signing key. The Ansible playbook downloads the key from the PostgreSQL website.

Run:

sudo curl -o /usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg/apt.postgresql.org.asc \
https://www.postgresql.org/media/keys/ACCC4CF8.asc

The key will be stored at:

/usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg/apt.postgresql.org.asc

Set the permissions to match the Ansible playbook:

sudo chmod 644 /usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg/apt.postgresql.org.asc

Verify the key file:

ls -l /usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg/apt.postgresql.org.asc

7. Add the Official PostgreSQL Repository

The Ansible playbook adds the official PostgreSQL APT repository. This repository is used to install PostgreSQL 18.

Create the repository configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pgdg.sources

Copy and paste the following into the file:

Types: deb deb-src
URIs: https://apt.postgresql.org/pub/repos/apt
Suites: noble-pgdg
Architectures: amd64
Components: main
Signed-By: /usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg/apt.postgresql.org.asc

Save the file:

1. Press CTRL + O
2. Press ENTER
3. Press CTRL + X

8. Update APT

Ubuntu now needs to read the PostgreSQL repository that was just added.

Run:

sudo apt update

If the command completes successfully without repository errors, continue to the next step.

9. Install PostgreSQL 18

The Ansible playbook installs PostgreSQL version 18 using the package:

postgresql-18

Install PostgreSQL 18 manually:

sudo apt install -y postgresql-18

Allow the installation to finish.

10. Enable the PostgreSQL Service

The Ansible playbook enables the PostgreSQL system service. This means PostgreSQL will automatically start when Ubuntu starts.

Run:

sudo systemctl enable postgresql

11. Start PostgreSQL

Start the PostgreSQL service:

sudo systemctl start postgresql

12. Check the PostgreSQL Service

Check whether PostgreSQL is running:

sudo systemctl status postgresql

Look for:

Active: active (running)

If the service is running, PostgreSQL has started successfully.

Press Q to exit the status screen.

13. Check the PostgreSQL Version

The Ansible playbook checks the installed PostgreSQL version using the psql command.

Run:

psql --version

You should see output similar to:

psql (PostgreSQL) 18.x

The exact minor version number may be different depending on the PostgreSQL package currently available in the repository.

14. Check Which PostgreSQL Service Is Running

You can check the PostgreSQL service with:

sudo systemctl is-active postgresql

The expected result is:

active

Check whether it is enabled at startup:

sudo systemctl is-enabled postgresql

The expected result is:

enabled

15. Check PostgreSQL Clusters

Ubuntu's PostgreSQL packages use PostgreSQL clusters to manage database server instances.

You can display the available clusters with:

pg_lsclusters

This command can help confirm that a PostgreSQL cluster has been created and is running.

16. Check PostgreSQL Listening Ports

PostgreSQL normally listens for database connections on TCP port 5432.

Check whether PostgreSQL is listening:

sudo ss -ltnp | grep 5432

If PostgreSQL is listening, you should see a result containing port 5432.

17. Test PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL provides a command-line client called psql.

You can test the local PostgreSQL server by connecting as the PostgreSQL system administrator:

sudo -u postgres psql

If the connection is successful, you will see a PostgreSQL prompt similar to:

postgres=#

Run the following command inside PostgreSQL to check the server version:

SELECT version();

To exit PostgreSQL, type:

\q

18. Verify the Installation

Run the following commands one at a time:

psql --version

sudo systemctl status postgresql

sudo systemctl is-active postgresql

sudo systemctl is-enabled postgresql

pg_lsclusters

sudo ss -ltnp | grep 5432

If PostgreSQL reports version 18, the service is active, the service is enabled, and the PostgreSQL cluster is running, the installation has been completed successfully.

19. Useful PostgreSQL Commands

Check PostgreSQL version

psql --version

Check PostgreSQL service

sudo systemctl status postgresql

Start PostgreSQL

sudo systemctl start postgresql

Stop PostgreSQL

sudo systemctl stop postgresql

Restart PostgreSQL

sudo systemctl restart postgresql

Enable PostgreSQL at startup

sudo systemctl enable postgresql

Check whether PostgreSQL is running

sudo systemctl is-active postgresql

Check whether PostgreSQL starts automatically

sudo systemctl is-enabled postgresql

List PostgreSQL clusters

pg_lsclusters

Connect to PostgreSQL

sudo -u postgres psql

Check the database server version from inside PostgreSQL

SELECT version();

Exit PostgreSQL

\q

Check PostgreSQL port

sudo ss -ltnp | grep 5432

20. Installation Summary

The manual installation follows the same main sequence as the supplied PostgreSQL Ansible playbook:

1. Install the required packages.
2. Create the PostgreSQL keyring directory.
3. Download the PostgreSQL repository signing key.
4. Add the official PostgreSQL repository.
5. Update the APT package cache.
6. Install PostgreSQL 18.
7. Enable the PostgreSQL service.
8. Start PostgreSQL.
9. Check the PostgreSQL version.
10. Verify that PostgreSQL is running.

21. Final PostgreSQL Information

Note: This article converts the installation tasks contained in the supplied PostgreSQL Ansible playbook into manual Ubuntu terminal commands.