PostgreSQL Connection Refused is the Server Running on Host: Troubleshooting Guide for Devs

Greetings, Devs! As a developer, you must have encountered the error message “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” at least once in your coding journey. This error message is frustrating, and it can take up your precious time to solve it. In this article, we’ll explore all the possible causes of the error and how to fix them step by step.

What is PostgreSQL Connection Refused?

When your application tries to connect to a PostgreSQL database, it may face a “connection refused” error. This error occurs when the PostgreSQL server is not accepting any more connections or when the server is not running on the host where you are trying to connect. When you get the “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” error message, your application is unable to communicate with the PostgreSQL server, so it cannot complete its database-related tasks.

The Causes of “PostgreSQL Connection Refused is the Server Running on Host” Error Message

There are several reasons why you may get the “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” error message. We’ll discuss each of them in the following paragraphs.

Reason 1: PostgreSQL Server is Not Running

The most common reason for the “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” error message is that the PostgreSQL server is not running. You can check whether the server is running by entering the following command in the terminal:

If the server is running, you will see a message that says “Active: active (exited).” If it’s not running, you will see a message that says “Active: inactive (dead).” If the server is not running, you need to start it with the following command:

Make sure that you have the necessary permissions to start the server. If you are not the superuser, you may need to use the sudo command before the above command.

Reason 2: PostgreSQL is Not Configured Properly

Another reason for the “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” error message is that the PostgreSQL server is not configured properly. You can check the configuration files to make sure that everything is in order. The configuration files are located in the following directories:

You can use the following command to check the status of the PostgreSQL server:

If the server is running, you will see a message that says “Active: active (exited).” If it’s not running, you will see a message that says “Active: inactive (dead).” If the server is not running, you need to start it with the following command:

FAQs

1. What is the “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” error message?

The “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” error message occurs when the PostgreSQL server is not accepting any more connections or when the server is not running on the host where you are trying to connect.

2. What are the reasons for the “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” error message?

The reasons for the “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” error message could be that the PostgreSQL server is not running, PostgreSQL is not configured properly, or the server is overloaded.

3. How can I fix the “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” error message?

You can fix the “PostgreSQL connection refused is the server running on host” error message by starting the PostgreSQL server, configuring PostgreSQL properly, or changing the maximum number of connections allowed.

4. How can I check if the PostgreSQL server is running or not?

You can check if the PostgreSQL server is running or not by using the following command: sudo systemctl status postgresql.service

5. How can I start the PostgreSQL server?

You can start the PostgreSQL server by using the following command: sudo systemctl start postgresql.service