# PostgreSQL on Zerops


[PostgreSQL ↗](https://www.postgresql.org/) is a powerful, open-source object-relational database with a 35-year track record for reliability, robustness, and performance. On Zerops it runs as a **fully managed service**: automated encrypted backups, vertical autoscaling, optional high availability with automatic failover, and a configuration tuned to your workload, with no server to administer.

## Quick start

Add a PostgreSQL service to your project with a `zerops-import.yaml`:

```yaml title="zerops-import.yaml"
services:
  - hostname: db
    # type is postgresql:{mode}@{version}
    type: postgresql:single@18
    # workload-tuned autoscaling profile
    profile: oltp-staging
```

Import it with the zCLI:

```bash
zcli project service-import zerops-import.yaml
```

The moment the container boots you have a working database. See [Create & import](/postgresql/how-to/create) for the GUI flow and the full configuration reference.

## What you get out of the box

- **A default database and user**, both named `db` (encoding `UTF8`, locale `C.UTF-8`), with a randomly generated password.
- **Connection details and environment variables**, including hostname, ports, and ready-made connection strings. See [Connect](/postgresql/how-to/connect).
- **Workload-tuned configuration** via the [scaling profile](/postgresql/how-to/scale#scaling-profiles) you choose (OLTP, OLAP, or write-heavy).
- **Automated, encrypted backups** stored in isolated object storage. See [Manage & data](/postgresql/how-to/manage#backups).
- **Vertical autoscaling** that grows and shrinks CPU, RAM, and disk with real usage.

### Supported versions

## Deployment modes

Choose the reliability model when you create the service. It is set through the service `type` and is **fixed for the life of the service**.

| Mode | type | What it is |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Highly Available** | `postgresql:ha@N` | A 3-node cluster spread across separate physical machines, with data stored redundantly, automatic failover, and a read-replica port. Recommended for production. |
| **Single container** | `postgresql:single@N` | One container, so lower cost but no redundancy. Data since the last backup is lost if it fails. Good for development and non-critical workloads. |

:::tip
In HA mode, route read-only queries to the replica port (`5433`) to take load off the primary. See [Scale & profiles](/postgresql/how-to/scale#high-availability) and [Connection ports and TLS](/postgresql/how-to/connect#connection-ports-and-tls).
:::

## Next steps

- [Create & import](/postgresql/how-to/create) — Create a service in the GUI or with zerops-import.yaml.
- [Connect](/postgresql/how-to/connect) — Ports, TLS, pooling, env vars, VPN, and management tools.
- [Scale & profiles](/postgresql/how-to/scale) — Autoscaling, workload profiles, and high availability.
- [Manage & data](/postgresql/how-to/manage) — Users, extensions, backups, and export/import.

## Need help?

Stuck, or want to share what you built? Our core team and community are on Discord.

- [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/WDvCZ54) — Join the Zerops community on Discord. Ask questions and share your tips.
- [zCLI](/references/cli) — Get more out of Zerops with the command-line tool.