Environment:DataExpert io Data engineer handbook PostgreSQL Docker Environment

Knowledge Sources	DataExpert-io/data-engineer-handbook PostgreSQL 14 Docker Image PGAdmin 4
Domains	Infrastructure, Data_Modeling
Last Updated	2026-02-09 06:00 GMT

Overview

Docker Compose environment with PostgreSQL 14 and PGAdmin 4 for dimensional data modeling exercises.

Description

This environment provides a containerized PostgreSQL 14 database pre-loaded with sample data via pg_restore, paired with a PGAdmin 4 web interface for SQL development. It is used for the Dimensional Data Modeling module of the Data Engineer Handbook bootcamp. The database is automatically seeded on first startup using an init script that restores a dump file and optionally runs SQL files from the homework directory.

Usage

Use this environment for any Dimensional Data Modeling workflow that requires a PostgreSQL database with pre-loaded sample data. It is the mandatory prerequisite for running the Pg_restore_Init_Script, SQL_Select_Query_Pattern, and Docker_Compose_PostgreSQL_Stack implementations.

System Requirements

Category	Requirement	Notes
OS	Linux, macOS, or Windows with WSL2	Docker Desktop required
Software	Docker Engine + Docker Compose	v2.x recommended
Software	DataGrip or any SQL editor	For running SQL queries
Disk	~500MB	PostgreSQL data + PGAdmin data volumes
Network	Ports 5432 and 5050 available	PostgreSQL and PGAdmin respectively

Dependencies

System Packages

Docker Engine with Docker Compose v2
PostgreSQL 14 (via `postgres:14` Docker image)
PGAdmin 4 (via `dpage/pgadmin4` Docker image)

Container Images

`postgres:14` — PostgreSQL database server
`dpage/pgadmin4` — Web-based database administration tool

Credentials

The following environment variables must be set in `.env` (copy from `example.env`):

`POSTGRES_SCHEMA`: Database schema name (default: `postgres`)
`POSTGRES_USER`: PostgreSQL superuser name (default: `postgres`)
`POSTGRES_DB`: Database name (default: `postgres`)
`POSTGRES_PASSWORD`: PostgreSQL password (default: `postgres`)
`HOST_PORT`: Host port mapping for PostgreSQL (default: `5432`)
`DOCKER_CONTAINER`: Container name (default: `my-postgres-container`)
`PGADMIN_EMAIL`: PGAdmin login email (default: `postgres@postgres.com`)
`PGADMIN_PASSWORD`: PGAdmin login password (default: `postgres`)
`PGADMIN_PORT`: Host port for PGAdmin web UI (default: `5050`)

Quick Install

# Copy environment configuration
cp example.env .env

# Start PostgreSQL and PGAdmin containers
docker compose up -d

# Verify containers are running
docker compose ps

Code Evidence

Docker Compose service definition from `docker-compose.yml:1-32`:

services:
  postgres:
    image: postgres:14
    restart: on-failure
    container_name: ${DOCKER_CONTAINER}
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_DB=${POSTGRES_SCHEMA}
      - POSTGRES_USER=${POSTGRES_USER}
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
    ports:
      - "${HOST_PORT}:5432"
    volumes:
      - ./:/bootcamp/
      - ./data.dump:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/data.dump
      - ./scripts/init-db.sh:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/init-db.sh
      - postgres-data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

Database initialization from `scripts/init-db.sh:1-29`:

#!/bin/bash
set -e
pg_restore \
    -v \
    --no-owner \
    --no-privileges \
    -U $POSTGRES_USER \
    -d $POSTGRES_DB \
    /docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/data.dump

Common Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`WARNING: .env file does not exist!`	Missing environment file	Copy `example.env` to `.env`: `cp example.env .env`
`port is already allocated` on 5432	Local PostgreSQL already using port 5432	Change `HOST_PORT` in `.env` to another port (e.g., 5433)
`pg_restore: error: connection to server failed`	Container not fully started	Wait for container to initialize; check with `docker compose logs postgres`

Compatibility Notes

macOS: Docker Desktop for Mac required. Ensure sufficient memory allocated (at least 2GB).
Windows: Requires WSL2 backend for Docker Desktop.
Linux: Native Docker Engine works directly.
Data Persistence: PostgreSQL data is stored in a named volume `postgres-data`. Use `docker compose stop` to preserve data; `docker compose down -v` removes volumes.

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