## Chapter 16. Installation from Source Code

This chapter describes the installation of PostgreSQL using the source code distribution. If you are installing a pre-packaged distribution, such as an RPM or Debian package, ignore this chapter and read the packager's instructions instead.

If you are building PostgreSQL for Microsoft Windows, read this chapter if you intend to build with MinGW or Cygwin; but if you intend to build with Microsoft's Visual C++, see Chapter 17 instead.

## 16.1. Short Version

    ./configure
    make
    su
    make install
    adduser postgres
    mkdir /usr/local/pgsql/data
    chown postgres /usr/local/pgsql/data
    su - postgres
    /usr/local/pgsql/bin/initdb -D /usr/local/pgsql/data
    /usr/local/pgsql/bin/pg_ctl -D /usr/local/pgsql/data -l logfile start
    /usr/local/pgsql/bin/createdb test
    /usr/local/pgsql/bin/psql test

The long version is the rest of this chapter.