Introduction ============ .. sectionauthor:: Daniele Varrazzo Psycopg is a PostgreSQL_ adapter for the Python_ programming language. It is a wrapper for the libpq_, the official PostgreSQL client library. The `psycopg2` package is the current mature implementation of the adapter: it is a C extension and as such it is only compatible with CPython_. If you want to use Psycopg on a different Python implementation (PyPy, Jython, IronPython) there is an experimental `porting of Psycopg for Ctypes`__, but it is not as mature as the C implementation yet. The current `!psycopg2` implementation supports: .. NOTE: keep consistent with setup.py and the /features/ page. - Python 2 versions from 2.5 to 2.7 - Python 3 versions from 3.1 to 3.4 - PostgreSQL versions from 7.4 to 9.4 .. _PostgreSQL: http://www.postgresql.org/ .. _Python: http://www.python.org/ .. _libpq: http://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/libpq.html .. _CPython: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPython .. _Ctypes: http://docs.python.org/library/ctypes.html .. __: https://github.com/mvantellingen/psycopg2-ctypes .. note:: `!psycopg2` usually depends at runtime on the libpq dynamic library. However it can connect to PostgreSQL servers of any supported version, independently of the version of the libpq used: just install the most recent libpq version or the most practical, without trying to match it to the version of the PostgreSQL server you will have to connect to. Installation ============ If possible, and usually it is, please :ref:`install Psycopg from a package ` available for your distribution or operating system. Compiling from source is a very easy task, however `!psycopg2` is a C extension module and as such it requires a few more things in place respect to a pure Python module. So, if you don't have experience compiling Python extension packages, *above all if you are a Windows or a Mac OS user*, please use a pre-compiled package and go straight to the :ref:`module usage ` avoid bothering with the gory details. .. _install-from-package: Install from a package ---------------------- .. index:: pair: Install; Linux **Linux** Psycopg is available already packaged in many Linux distributions: look for a package such as ``python-psycopg2`` using the package manager of your choice. On Debian, Ubuntu and other deb-based distributions you should just need:: sudo apt-get install python-psycopg2 to install the package with all its dependencies. .. index:: pair: Install; Mac OS X **Mac OS X** Psycopg is available as a `fink package`__ in the *unstable* tree: you may install it with:: fink install psycopg2-py27 .. __: http://pdb.finkproject.org/pdb/package.php/psycopg2-py27 The library is also available on `MacPorts`__ try:: sudo port install py27-psycopg2 .. __: http://www.macports.org/ .. index:: pair: Install; Windows **Microsoft Windows** Jason Erickson maintains a packaged `Windows port of Psycopg`__ with installation executable. Download. Double click. Done. .. __: http://www.stickpeople.com/projects/python/win-psycopg/ .. index:: single: Install; from source .. _install-from-source: Install from source ------------------- These notes illustrate how to compile Psycopg on Linux. If you want to compile Psycopg on other platforms you may have to adjust some details accordingly. .. _requirements: Psycopg is a C wrapper to the libpq PostgreSQL client library. To install it from sources you will need: - A C compiler. - The Python header files. They are usually installed in a package such as **python-dev**. A message such as *error: Python.h: No such file or directory* is an indication that the Python headers are missing. - The libpq header files. They are usually installed in a package such as **libpq-dev**. If you get an *error: libpq-fe.h: No such file or directory* you are missing them. - The :program:`pg_config` program: it is usually installed by the **libpq-dev** package but sometimes it is not in a :envvar:`PATH` directory. Having it in the :envvar:`PATH` greatly streamlines the installation, so try running ``pg_config --version``: if it returns an error or an unexpected version number then locate the directory containing the :program:`pg_config` shipped with the right libpq version (usually ``/usr/lib/postgresql/X.Y/bin/``) and add it to the :envvar:`PATH`:: $ export PATH=/usr/lib/postgresql/X.Y/bin/:$PATH You only need it to compile and install `!psycopg2`, not for its regular usage. .. note:: The libpq header files used to compile `!psycopg2` should match the version of the library linked at runtime. If you get errors about missing or mismatching libraries when importing `!psycopg2` check (e.g. using :program:`ldd`) if the module ``psycopg2/_psycopg.so`` is linked to the right ``libpq.so``. .. index:: single: Install; from PyPI .. _package-manager: Use a Python package manager ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If the above requirements are satisfied, you can use :program:`easy_install`, :program:`pip` or whatever the Python package manager of the week:: $ pip install psycopg2 Please refer to your package manager documentation about performing a local or global installation, :program:`virtualenv` (fully supported by recent Psycopg versions), using different Python versions and other nuances. .. index:: single: setup.py single: setup.cfg .. _source-package: Use the source package ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You can download a copy of Psycopg source files from the `Psycopg download page`__. Once unpackaged, to compile and install the package you can run:: $ python setup.py build $ sudo python setup.py install If you have less standard requirements such as: - creating a :ref:`debug build `, - using :program:`pg_config` not in the :envvar:`PATH`, - supporting ``mx.DateTime``, then take a look at the ``setup.cfg`` file. Some of the options available in ``setup.cfg`` are also available as command line arguments of the ``build_ext`` sub-command. For instance you can specify an alternate :program:`pg_config` version using:: $ python setup.py build_ext --pg-config /path/to/pg_config build Use ``python setup.py build_ext --help`` to get a list of the options supported. .. __: http://initd.org/psycopg/download/ .. index:: single: tests .. _test-suite: Running the test suite ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The included ``Makefile`` allows to run all the tests included in the distribution. Just run:: make make check The tests run against a database called ``psycopg2_test`` on UNIX socket and the standard port. You can configure a different database to run the test by setting the environment variables: - :envvar:`PSYCOPG2_TESTDB` - :envvar:`PSYCOPG2_TESTDB_HOST` - :envvar:`PSYCOPG2_TESTDB_PORT` - :envvar:`PSYCOPG2_TESTDB_USER` The database should already exist before running the tests. .. index:: single: debug single: PSYCOPG_DEBUG .. _debug-build: Creating a debug build ---------------------- In case of problems, Psycopg can be configured to emit detailed debug messages, which can be very useful for diagnostics and to report a bug. In order to create a debug package: - `Download`__ and unpack the Psycopg source package. - Edit the ``setup.cfg`` file adding the ``PSYCOPG_DEBUG`` flag to the ``define`` option. - :ref:`Compile and install ` the package. - Set the :envvar:`PSYCOPG_DEBUG` environment variable:: $ export PSYCOPG_DEBUG=1 - Run your program (making sure that the `!psycopg2` package imported is the one you just compiled and not e.g. the system one): you will have a copious stream of informations printed on stderr. .. __: http://initd.org/psycopg/download/ .. _other-problems: If you still have problems -------------------------- Try the following. *In order:* - Read again the :ref:`requirements `. - Read the :ref:`FAQ `. - Google for `!psycopg2` *your error message*. Especially useful the week after the release of a new OS X version. - Write to the `Mailing List`__. - Complain on your blog or on Twitter that `!psycopg2` is the worst package ever and about the quality time you have wasted figuring out the correct :envvar:`ARCHFLAGS`. Especially useful from the Starbucks near you. .. __: http://mail.postgresql.org/mj/mj_wwwusr/domain=postgresql.org?func=lists-long-full&extra=psycopg