Debugging PostgreSQL Installation on macOS

If you’re a PostgreSQL user, you’ve likely encountered errors like:

psql: error: connection to server on socket "/tmp/.s.PGSQL.5432" failed: No such file or directory

But what causes these issues? Before diving into troubleshooting, let’s understand what happens during a PostgreSQL installation on macOS using Homebrew.

When installed via Homebrew, PostgreSQL follows a structured setup process:

Installation: Homebrew installs PostgreSQL binaries, configuration files, and necessary dependencies.Service Management: Homebrew services allow PostgreSQL to run in the background.Data Directory Initialization: PostgreSQL requires an initialized data directory to store databases and settings.User and Role Setup: PostgreSQL creates a default user and role system for database management.

Before Installation

Ensure Homebrew is installed (brew -v to check).Check for existing PostgreSQL installations:brew list | grep postgresqlRemove conflicting versions if necessary:brew uninstall postgresql@<version>

Installation Process

To install PostgreSQL via Homebrew, run:

brew install postgresql@15

After installation, check the service status:

brew services list

To start PostgreSQL:

brew services start postgresql@15

Using Nix

Install PostgreSQL via Nix and Start PostgreSQL manually: