PostgreSQL - Create user and database from shell failing

Question

I have a shell script which runs on deployment and I have these lines:

# Database
createdb $DBNAME
createuser -D -A $DBNAME

However, in my logs I get this error:

createdb: could not connect to database postgres: FATAL: Ident authentication failed for user "root"
createuser: could not connect to database postgres: FATAL: Ident authentication failed for user "root"

Would anyone mind telling me what is going wrong here and how I can correct my lines. Surely root should have permission to do this?

simon · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-08 23:50:11Z

4

the best way to do this, especially if you want your script to be portable, is:

su --login postgres --command "createdb $DBNAME"

this should be safer, more secure, and more portable than using -U. i do it this way in all my posgreSQL scripts. you might find it a useful technique. obviously it still needs to be run as a root user (e.g. with sudo).

answered Dec 8, 2012 at 23:50

simon

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2 Comments

Jimmy Over a year ago

I install postgreSQL with apt-get which makes a postgres account automatically. Is there any need to create a seperate user account like I did in my first post?

simon Over a year ago

depends if you want a separate user for that db. i nearly always do, since separation of privileges is usually a good idea :)

James Hornitzky · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-08 23:35:28Z

3

If your DB is secured, you need to connect as a DB user, not as a user of the OS. For example:

createdb -U dbrootuser -W $DBNAME

See this link for full syntax

edited Dec 8, 2012 at 23:35

answered Dec 8, 2012 at 23:05

James Hornitzky

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2 Comments

Jimmy Over a year ago

I get this: /usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/createdb: invalid option -- 'u'

James Hornitzky Over a year ago

My bad, case sensitive (should be U), have edited answer. Dbl check the link there if you have questions/ideas about the syntax.

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