Complete Guide: Installing Databases on Ubuntu Server
Learn how to install and configure MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and MySQL on your Ubuntu server for your web development projects.
Installing MongoDB
MongoDB is a NoSQL database that stores data in flexible, JSON-like documents. Let's go through the installation process on Ubuntu.
Search for MongoDB Community Edition
Search on Google "mongodb community edition install", and click the first link.
Choose Linux Installation
On the MongoDB website, choose Install on Linux option.
Select Ubuntu Distribution
Choose your Linux distribution, which for us is Ubuntu.
Install MongoDB Community Edition
Go directly to the "Install MongoDB Community Edition" section and copy-paste the commands into your terminal.
Check Your Ubuntu Version
We are using Ubuntu 24, so we'll follow the instructions for that version.
You can check your Ubuntu version using:
cat /etc/lsb-release
Enable and Start MongoDB Service
After installation, enable and start the MongoDB service:
Test MongoDB Installation
Mongosh is installed by default, so you can test your installation:
Use MongoDB in Your Projects
Now, MongoDB is installed locally in your VPS. To use it in your projects, use the following connection string:
mongodb://127.0.0.1/db_name
Installing PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL is a powerful, open-source object-relational database system. Let's set it up on Ubuntu.
Search for PostgreSQL Installation
Search on Google "PostgreSQL Install" and click on the first link.
Choose Your Distribution
Select your Linux distribution (Ubuntu in our case).
Install PostgreSQL
Ubuntu includes PostgreSQL by default in its package lists, so the installation is straightforward.
For other distributions, you may need to scroll down and follow additional instructions.
Switch to PostgreSQL User
PostgreSQL can only be used by the postgres user initially. Let's switch to that user:
sudo -i -u postgres
psql is a CLI tool to interact with PostgreSQL. You can run PostgreSQL queries and commands from here.
Create a Database User
Create a database user matching your Linux username:
CREATE ROLE your_username WITH LOGIN PASSWORD 'your_password';
Make sure to use SINGLE QUOTES for the password. DOUBLE QUOTES won't work.
Also, the semicolon at the end is required.
Make User a SUPERUSER
For ease of use, let's make the new user a superuser:
ALTER ROLE your_username WITH SUPERUSER;
Create a Database
Create a database with the same name as your user:
CREATE DATABASE your_username;
Exit and Test as Your User
Exit out of PSQL and the postgres user, then test with your Linux user:
Get Your Connection String
Now you can connect to PostgreSQL from your projects using:
postgresql://username:password@localhost:5432/mydatabase
PostgreSQL by default runs on port 5432.
Example: postgresql://thapa:1234@localhost:5432/mydatabase
Installing MySQL
MySQL is one of the most popular relational database management systems. Let's install it on Ubuntu.
Update Package Lists
Before installing any packages, refresh your package lists:
sudo apt update
Install MySQL Server
Install MySQL server using apt:
sudo apt install mysql-server
On other distributions, you might need to add MySQL repositories before installing. Make sure to search online for specific instructions for your distribution.
Secure MySQL Installation
It's recommended to run the security script after installing MySQL:
sudo mysql_secure_installation
Check MySQL Status
Verify that MySQL is running:
sudo systemctl status mysql
# If it's not running, or it's not enabled then run these commands
sudo systemctl enable mysql
sudo systemctl start mysql
Create a New Database User
Create a new database user for your projects:
sudo mysql
To see all the users of MySQL:
SELECT user, host FROM mysql.user;
Create a new user:
CREATE USER user_name IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
Grant full privileges to the new user:
GRANT ALL ON *.* TO thapa WITH GRANT OPTION;
Breakdown of the GRANT command:
1. Privileges
SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE
ALL means all privileges
Example: GRANT SELECT, INSERT ON my_database.* TO thapa;
2. ON database.table
*.* means to allow the user permission to all databases and all tables inside them
Example: GRANT SELECT, INSERT ON my_database.* TO thapa;
This allows the user access to all tables of my_database
3. TO 'user'@'host'
As we are connected to a local database, we can just use user_name
4. WITH GRANT OPTION (Optional)
This allows the user to pass their granted privileges to others
Flush privileges to apply changes:
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
Exit MySQL using the exit command.
Test MySQL with Your New User
Open MySQL CLI using your newly created user:
mysql -u user_name -p
-u flag specifies the username to login with
-p flag prompts for the password
Get Your MySQL Connection String
Now you have your MySQL connection string:
mysql://username:password@host:port/database
Example: mysql://thapa:thapa%401234@localhost:3306/database
3306 is the default MySQL port
Pro Tip: Now that you have multiple databases installed, you can choose the right one for your specific project needs. MongoDB works well for flexible document storage, PostgreSQL for complex relational data with advanced features, and MySQL for traditional relational database needs.
