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⭐ StartPostgresql

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Terrence Daniels edited this page Jul 9, 2026 · 2 revisions

StartPostgresql StartPostgresql is the provisioning action responsible for launching PostgreSQL database containers with secure defaults, persistent volumes, SSL/TLS support, engine‑specific environment variables, and predictable runtime behavior. It follows the same architectural pattern as other StartActions but implements PostgreSQL‑specific logic.

This page explains how StartPostgresql works, what it generates, and how it fits into the broader provisioning system.

Purpose of StartPostgresql The StartPostgresql action handles all logic required to start a PostgreSQL instance, including:

Validating configuration

Generating SSL certificates

Creating persistent volumes

Building environment variables

Generating Docker Compose

Applying PostgreSQL‑specific runtime settings

Configuring healthchecks

Starting the container

It ensures PostgreSQL is provisioned consistently and securely across all deployments.

PostgreSQL‑Specific Requirements PostgreSQL has several engine‑specific requirements that differ from MySQL, Redis, and other engines:

  1. Password Variable PostgreSQL requires: POSTGRES_PASSWORD This is mandatory and injected automatically.

  2. Database Initialization Variables PostgreSQL supports: POSTGRES_DB POSTGRES_USER

These are optional but commonly used.

  1. SSL/TLS Configuration If SSL is enabled, PostgreSQL requires:

CA certificate

Server certificate

Server key

TLS configuration in postgresql.conf

TLS entries in pg_hba.conf

These are generated and mounted automatically.

  1. Data Directory PostgreSQL stores data in: /var/lib/postgresql/data This directory is mapped to a persistent volume.

StartPostgresql Lifecycle flowchart TD A[StartPostgresql] --> B[Validate Configuration] B --> C[Generate SSL Certificates] C --> D[Generate Persistent Volumes] D --> E[Build Environment Variables] E --> F[Generate Docker Compose] F --> G[Start PostgreSQL Container]

  1. Validate Configuration StartPostgresql checks:

Port availability

Required password

Volume paths

SSL settings

Custom runtime options

If any required configuration is missing, the action fails early.

  1. Generate SSL Certificates If SSL is enabled:

A CA certificate is generated

A server certificate is generated

A server key is generated

Certificates are mounted into the container

PostgreSQL is configured to use TLS

Certificates are stored under: /data/coolify/ssl//

  1. Generate Persistent Volumes Using GeneratesLocalPersistentVolumes, StartPostgresql creates:

Local data directory

SSL directory

Config directory (if needed)

Volumes are mapped into the container: /var/lib/postgresql/data /etc/postgresql/ssl This ensures data persists across container restarts.

  1. Build Environment Variables StartPostgresql builds a complete environment variable set including:

Required Code POSTGRES_PASSWORD Optional Code POSTGRES_DB POSTGRES_USER System Internal variables required for provisioning.

SSL If TLS is enabled:

Code PGSSLROOTCERT PGSSLCERT PGSSLKEY 5. Generate Docker Compose StartPostgresql generates a full Compose service definition including:

Image Code postgres: Ports Code 5432:5432 Volumes Data directory

SSL directory

Config directory

Environment Variables All normalized variables.

Healthcheck PostgreSQL healthcheck typically uses:

Code pg_isready -U postgres Runtime Options PostgreSQL‑specific flags such as:

Shared memory settings

TLS enforcement

Config overrides

  1. Start the Container The generated Compose file is passed to the provisioning engine, which:

Creates the container

Applies resource limits

Connects networks

Starts PostgreSQL

Verifies healthcheck

Marks the database as running

Example Compose Snippet (Conceptual example — your implementation generates this dynamically.)

Code services: postgres: image: postgres:16 ports: - "5432:5432" environment: POSTGRES_PASSWORD: "${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}" POSTGRES_DB: "${POSTGRES_DB}" POSTGRES_USER: "${POSTGRES_USER}" volumes: - /data/coolify/postgresql//data:/var/lib/postgresql/data - /data/coolify/ssl/:/etc/postgresql/ssl healthcheck: test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U postgres"] interval: 10s timeout: 5s retries: 5 Why StartPostgresql Is Important StartPostgresql ensures:

Secure defaults

Predictable provisioning

Engine‑specific behavior

SSL/TLS support

Persistent storage

Clean environment variable handling

Consistent Docker orchestration

It is the foundation of PostgreSQL provisioning in your platform.

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