Running PostgreSQL Locally with Docker

A quick reference for starting a local PostgreSQL server using Docker, creating databases, and connecting from applications.

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🚀 Start a Local PostgreSQL Server

Basic docker run command

docker run --name local-postgres \\
  -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres \\
  -e POSTGRES_USER=postgres \\
  -e POSTGRES_DB=postgres \\
  -p 5432:5432 \\
  -d postgres:16

🔗 Connection Strings

Standard PostgreSQL URI

postgresql://postgres:postgres@localhost:5432/postgres

SQLAlchemy

postgresql+psycopg2://postgres:postgres@localhost:5432/postgres

Node (pg library)

const connectionString = "postgres://postgres:postgres@localhost:5432/postgres";

Prisma

DATABASE_URL="postgresql://postgres:postgres@localhost:5432/postgres?schema=public"

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Useful Docker Commands

View logs

docker logs -f local-postgres

Stop and remove container

docker stop local-postgres
docker rm local-postgres

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Creating and Accessing Additional Databases

Enter psql inside the container

docker exec -it local-postgres psql -U postgres

Create a new database

CREATE DATABASE myappdb;

List databases

\l

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Create DB Without Entering psql

docker exec -it local-postgres createdb -U postgres myappdb

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Connection String for the New Database

postgresql://postgres:postgres@localhost:5432/myappdb

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Create a New User and Grant Access

CREATE USER myuser WITH PASSWORD 'mypassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE myappdb TO myuser;

Connection string:

postgresql://myuser:mypassword@localhost:5432/myappdb

Untitled

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