How to Set Up PostgreSQL, Use It in VS Code, and Publish to GitHub

PostgreSQL is a powerful open-source relational database, and VS Code is a lightweight yet powerful code editor. In this guide, you’ll learn:
✔ How to install PostgreSQL on your machine.
✔ How to connect and query PostgreSQL in VS Code.
✔ How to save your SQL scripts to GitHub.

Step 1: Install PostgreSQL

1. Download & Install

• Windows/macOS/Linux: Download from PostgreSQL Official Site.
• Follow the installer (remember your password—you’ll need it later).

2. Verify Installation

• Open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) and run:shCopypsql –versionIf installed correctly, you’ll see the version number.

Step 2: Set Up a Database

1. Launch PostgreSQL Shell

• Open pgAdmin (GUI tool) or psql (command line).
• For psql, run:shCopypsql -U postgres(Default username: postgres)

2. Create a Database

CREATE DATABASE test_db;
\c test_db  -- Connect to the database

3. Create a Table (Example)

CREATE TABLE users (
    id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
    name VARCHAR(100),
    email VARCHAR(100) UNIQUE
);

Step 3: Connect PostgreSQL in VS Code

1. Install Extensions

• Open VS Code → Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X) → Install:
  • SQLTools (Database client)
  • SQLTools PostgreSQL Driver

2. Connect to PostgreSQL

• Press Ctrl+Shift+P → SQLTools: Add New Connection → Choose PostgreSQL.
• Fill in details:CopyHost: localhost Port: 5432 User: postgres Password: (your password) Database: test_db
• Click Save & Connect.

3. Run SQL Queries

• Open a new file (Ctrl+N) → Save as query.sql.
• Type a query:sqlCopyINSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES (‘John Doe', ‘john@example.com'); SELECT * FROM users;
• Right-click → Execute Query.

Step 4: Publish to GitHub

1. Initialize Git

• Open Terminal in VS Code (Ctrl+ `).
• Run:shCopygit init git add . git commit -m “Initial PostgreSQL project”

2. Create a GitHub Repository

• Go to GitHub → Create a new repo (e.g., postgresql-vscode-demo).

3. Push to GitHub

• Link your local project to GitHub:shCopygit remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/postgresql-vscode-demo.git git branch -M main git push -u origin main

Final Checks

✅ PostgreSQL is running.
✅ VS Code connects to the database.
✅ GitHub has your SQL scripts.

Need help? Drop a comment below! 👇