psql (PostgreSQL client) tool install on RHEL

Question

I would like to install just the PostgreSQL client tool (psql) on RHEL on a container to connect to an Azure database for PostgreSQL server. Can you please point me step by step instructions on how to do the same?. I do not want to install the entire postgresql server

Answer 1

On RedHat, and compatible systems, in order to install just the client only, the command is:

sudo yum install postgresql 

or maybe dnf, but dnf may be Fedora? The above command installs only the client tools and their dependencies!

For a full-blown server install (should you require it in the future), the command is:

sudo yum install postgresql-server

You can back out either of the commands above by issuing the command:

sudo yum remove <package name>

i.e.

sudo yum remove postgresql 

to uninstall your PostgreSQL client tools.

You may wish to consider a GUI:

• pgAdmin an Open Source "sister project" to the main server one, very much tailored to PostgreSQL. Feature complete, but a bit resource heavy. Although the same could be said of Java clients...

• OmniDB I have not used it much, but have heard good things)

• JDBC

  • SQuirreL SQL - used a bit and liked
  • DBeaver - used a very small bit - similar to SQuirreL SQL

• Windows (if of interest to you for other machines/boot environments)

  • HeidiSQL - used a little, fine. Very "bright and breezy" - a light, pleasant touch to it, if you have a Windows desk- or lap-top.

Unless you have a compelling reason not to use pgAdmin, I'd go with that first but you may have your own toolkit.

Answer 2

Modern RHEL should have postgresql in a module.
If you need to install a spesific version you can use

dnf install @postgresql:VER/client
e.g. dnf install @postgresql:20/client

Sometimes it'll just be under postgresql with the server component split into postgresql-server

Check with dnf repoquery -l postgresql if you want to make sure.