Unable to run psql command inside a postgres docker container

Question

I have recently started using Docker. However, while I was able to run a postgres container and run a bash command "psql" inside it. Now, I am facing error in trying to do the same after sometime. Here is what worked for me sometime back and now it does not work anymore:

docker run --rm -it postgres bash

The above command opens a bash inside the postgres container. When I type psql inside this container, it shows error:

root@3615146cf679:/# psql

psql: error: could not connect to server: could not connect to server: No such file or directory Is the server running locally and accepting connections on Unix domain socket “/var/run/postgresql/.s.PGSQL.5432”?

Can you use psql from the host, using the port you published out of the container to access it? — David Maze
– David Maze, Commented Mar 15, 2020 at 17:11

Vahid · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-15 17:06:44Z

7

You need to use these commands in order: start the container with:

$ sudo docker run --name some-postgres -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=mysecretpassword -d postgres

enter the container with:

$ sudo docker exec -it some-postgres /bin/bash

when you entered the container, run:

$ psql -U postgres

answered Mar 15, 2020 at 17:06

Vahid

1,4271 gold badge11 silver badges20 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

Max von Hippel · Accepted Answer · 2021-12-27 00:06:40Z

1

I myself figured it out that using "bash" at the time of starting the container was causing the problem. Once we run it using:

docker run --rm postgres

Above command says that we need to provide a Password or Auth Method. Hence, we do so. Anyone of below 3 commands can start a postgres container:

docker run --rm -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres postgres

or

docker run --rm -e POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD=trust postgres

or

docker run --rm -e POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD=trust -e POSTGRES_USER=postgres -e 
POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres postgres

Then, we can execute:

docker exec -it <container_id> bash
psql -U postgres
CREATE TABLE tutorials (id int, tutorial_name text);
INSERT INTO tutorials VALUES (1, 'C++');
select * from tutorials;

edited Dec 27, 2021 at 0:06

Max von Hippel

2,9683 gold badges31 silver badges47 bronze badges

answered Mar 15, 2020 at 21:48

Kush Sharma

693 silver badges9 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Unable to run psql command inside a postgres docker container

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related