PostgreSQL Cluster Commands
Managing a PostgreSQL Cluster with pg_ctl & pg_controldata PostgreSQL Cluster Control Cheat-Sheet 1 · What Exactly Is a “Cluster”? In PostgreSQL terminology, a cluster is a self-contained instance: one data directory, one listening port, one set of background processes. Multiple databases live inside, but they all share the same WAL stream and config files ( postgresql.conf , pg_hba.conf , …). 2 · Starting a Cluster ( pg_ctl start ) # basic invocation (foreground wait) pg_ctl -D /pgdata -l /var/log/pg_start.log start # common flags -l logfile # redirect server stdout/stderr -w / -W # wait / don’t wait for startup confirmation -o "-c port=5434" # extra postmaster options (here: override port) systemd users: prefer systemctl start postgresql-16 . But pg_ctl is still essential for ad-hoc clusters, containers, or single-user mode troubleshooting. 3 · Stopping a Cluster ( pg_ctl stop ) ...