How to Fix FATAL: data directory has invalid permissions Error in PostgreSQL Docker

Discover how to resolve the `FATAL: data directory` permissions error when using PostgreSQL in Docker on Windows 10 with this comprehensive guide.
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: FATAL: data directory "/var/lib/postgresql/data/pgdata" has invalid permissions Docker-compose

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Troubleshooting PostgreSQL Docker Errors on Windows 10

When working with Docker and PostgreSQL, it's not uncommon to encounter various error messages. One such frustrating issue is the error message: "FATAL: data directory '/var/lib/postgresql/data/pgdata' has invalid permissions." This message can cause panic, especially if you're running your setup on Windows 10, while it may work perfectly fine on MacOS.

In this guide, I'll walk you through understanding the root cause of this error and how to fix it effectively. Let’s dive in!

Understanding the Error

The error message you're seeing indicates that PostgreSQL is unable to start due to incorrect permissions set on the data directory. This typically means that the directory must be owned by the PostgreSQL user and should have specific permissions for the postgres user.

The Required Permissions

0700: This means that the user has read, write, and execute permissions.

0750: This includes read, write, and execute permissions for the user and read and execute permissions for the group.

If the directory does not have these permissions, PostgreSQL will refuse to start to protect your database.

Logs Breakdown

The error in your logs highlights:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This tells us that the directory permissions need adjustment.

Fixing the Permissions Issue

Step 1: Update Your Docker Compose Configuration

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Bring Down and Up Your Docker Containers

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Verify the Changes

You should now check the logs again to confirm the database has initialized properly without any permission errors.

Conclusion

The FATAL: data directory has invalid permissions error can be frustrating, especially when transitioning between different operating systems such as Windows and MacOS. However, by correctly setting up the named volumes in your Docker configuration, as shown above, you can resolve this issue efficiently.

Feel free to reach out if you encounter any other challenges with Docker or PostgreSQL. Happy coding!