Install pgAdmin 4 on Ubuntu 24.04 / 22.04

pgAdmin 4 is the leading open-source management tool for PostgreSQL databases. It provides a powerful web-based interface for managing your PostgreSQL servers, running queries, monitoring performance, and handling routine database administration tasks. This guide covers installing pgAdmin 4 (version 9.13) in web mode on Ubuntu 24.04 and Ubuntu 22.04.

Original content from computingforgeeks.com - post 32490

pgAdmin 4 web mode runs as a web application served through Apache. You access it from any browser on your network – no desktop environment needed on the server. This makes it ideal for managing remote PostgreSQL instances from a single dashboard.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, confirm the following requirements are met:

• Ubuntu 24.04 or Ubuntu 22.04 server (fresh or existing)
• Root or sudo access on the server
• PostgreSQL installed and running – see our guide on installing PostgreSQL on Ubuntu
• Ports 80 and 443 open in the firewall (for web access)
• A working internet connection to download packages

Step 1: Update your system

Start by updating the package index and upgrading existing packages.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Add the pgAdmin 4 APT repository

pgAdmin 4 is not available in the default Ubuntu repositories. You need to add the official pgAdmin repository maintained by the PostgreSQL Global Development Group.

First, install the required prerequisite packages:

sudo apt install -y curl gpg apt-transport-https

Import the GPG signing key for the repository:

curl -fsSL https://www.pgadmin.org/static/packages_pgadmin_org.pub \
  | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/pgadmin-keyring.gpg

Add the pgAdmin 4 repository to your APT sources. For Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble):

echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/pgadmin-keyring.gpg] https://ftp.postgresql.org/pub/pgadmin/pgadmin4/apt/noble pgadmin4 main" \
  | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pgadmin4.list

For Ubuntu 22.04 (Jammy), replace noble with jammy in the command above.

Update the package index to pull metadata from the new repository:

sudo apt update

Step 3: Install pgAdmin 4 web mode

Install the pgadmin4-web package. This installs pgAdmin 4 in web mode along with Apache as the web server.

sudo apt install -y pgadmin4-web

Verify the installation

Confirm pgAdmin 4 is installed and check the version:

dpkg -l pgadmin4-web

You should see version 9.13 (or later) in the output.

Step 4: Run the pgAdmin 4 web setup script

pgAdmin 4 ships with a setup script that configures the web application. It creates the initial admin user account and sets up Apache.

sudo /usr/pgadmin4/bin/setup-web.sh

The script will prompt you to provide:

• Email address – this is the login username for the pgAdmin web interface
• Password – set a strong password for the admin account

The script also configures Apache and restarts the service automatically. Sample output:

Step 5: Configure the firewall

If UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) is active on your server, allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic:

sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp
sudo ufw reload

Verify the rules are in place:

sudo ufw status

If you use iptables directly instead of UFW:

sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j ACCEPT

Step 6: Access the pgAdmin 4 web interface

Open your web browser and navigate to:

http://your-server-ip/pgadmin4

You will see the pgAdmin 4 login page. Enter the email address and password you created during the setup step.

After successful login, you land on the pgAdmin 4 dashboard:

Step 7: Add a PostgreSQL server to pgAdmin 4

With pgAdmin 4 running, the next step is to connect it to your PostgreSQL server.

Click Add New Server on the dashboard, or go to Object > Register > Server.

In the General tab, give the server a descriptive name. Then switch to the Connection tab and fill in:

• Host name/address – the IP or hostname of your PostgreSQL server (use localhost or 127.0.0.1 if PostgreSQL runs on the same server)
• Port – default is 5432
• Maintenance database – typically postgres
• Username – your PostgreSQL user (e.g., postgres)
• Password – the password for that PostgreSQL user

Click Save. pgAdmin 4 will connect to your PostgreSQL instance and display the server tree in the left panel.

You can now browse databases, run SQL queries using the Query Tool, monitor server activity, and manage all aspects of your PostgreSQL deployment.

Production recommendations

For production environments, apply these hardening measures:

• Enable SSL/TLS – configure Apache with a valid SSL certificate (Let’s Encrypt works well). Never expose pgAdmin over plain HTTP in production.
• Use a reverse proxy – place Nginx or Apache as a reverse proxy in front of pgAdmin for better control over headers, rate limiting, and access restrictions.
• Restrict access by IP – limit who can reach the pgAdmin URL using firewall rules or Apache’s Require ip directive.
• Enable two-factor authentication – pgAdmin 4 supports TOTP-based 2FA. Enable it from File > Preferences > User Management.
• Keep pgAdmin updated – run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade pgadmin4-web regularly to get security patches.

Conclusion

You now have pgAdmin 4 installed and running in web mode on your Ubuntu 24.04 server. The web interface is accessible at http://your-server-ip/pgadmin4, and you can connect to any PostgreSQL server on your network. For a production setup, prioritize enabling SSL and restricting access by IP.

For complete documentation on pgAdmin 4 features and configuration options, refer to the official pgAdmin 4 documentation. The PostgreSQL documentation is also a valuable resource for database administration tasks.

Related guides

• Install PostgreSQL on Ubuntu Linux
• Install pgAdmin 4 on Debian
• Install PostgreSQL on Rocky Linux / AlmaLinux
• Install pgAdmin 4 on CentOS / RHEL
• Managing PostgreSQL databases with pgAdmin 4