PG_CTLCLUSTER(1) Debian PostgreSQL infrastructure PG_CTLCLUSTER(1)
NAME
pg_ctlcluster - start/stop/restart/reload a PostgreSQL cluster
SYNOPSIS
pg_ctlcluster [options] cluster-version cluster-name action [-- pg_ctl
options]
where action = start|stop|restart|reload|status|promote|logrotate
DESCRIPTION
This program controls the postgres server for a particular cluster. It
essentially wraps the pg_ctl(1) command. It determines the cluster
version and data path and calls the right version of pg_ctl with
appropriate configuration parameters and paths.
You have to start this program as the user who owns the database cluster
or as root.
To ease integration with systemd operation, the alternative syntax
"pg_ctlcluster version-cluster action" is also supported, as well as
putting the action first (matching the ordering used by systemctl).
ACTIONS
start
A log file for this specific cluster is created if it does not exist
yet (by default, /var/log/postgresql/postgresql-cluster-
version-cluster-name.log), and a PostgreSQL server process
(postgres(1)) is started on it. Exits with 0 on success, with 2 if
the server is already running, and with 1 on other failure
conditions.
stop
Stops the postgres(1) server of the given cluster. By default,
"fast" shutdown mode is used.
restart
Stops the server if it is running and starts it (again).
reload
Causes the configuration files to be re-read without a full shutdown
of the server.
status
Checks whether a server is running. If it is, the PID and the
command line options that were used to invoke it are displayed.
promote
Commands a running standby server to exit recovery and begin read-
write operations.
logrotate
Requests that the server of a given cluster rotates the log file.
OPTIONS
-f|--force
For stop and restart, the "fast" mode is used which rolls back all
active transactions, disconnects clients immediately and thus shuts
down cleanly. If that does not work, shutdown is attempted again in
"immediate" mode, which can leave the cluster in an inconsistent
state and thus will lead to a recovery run at the next start. If
this still does not help, the postgres process is killed. Exits
with 0 on success, with 2 if the server is not running, and with 1
on other failure conditions. This mode should only be used when the
machine is about to be shut down.
-m|--mode [smart|fast|immediate]
Shutdown mode to use for stop and restart actions, default is fast.
See pg_ctl(1) for documentation.
--foreground
Start postgres in foreground, without daemonizing via pg_ctl.
--stdlog
When --foreground is in use, redirect stderr to the standard logfile
in /var/log/postgresql/. (Default when not run in foreground.)
--skip-systemctl-redirect
When running as root, pg_ctlcluster redirects actions to systemctl
so running clusters are properly supervised by systemd. This option
skips the redirect; it is used in the postgresql@.service unit file.
The redirect is also skipped if additional postgres or pg_ctl
options are provided.
--bindir directory
Path to pg_ctl. (Default is /usr/lib/postgresql/version/bin.)
-o|--options option
Pass given option as command line option to the postgres process. It
is possible to specify -o multiple times. See postgres(1) for a
description of valid options.
pg_ctl options
Pass given pg_ctl options as command line options to pg_ctl. See
pg_ctl(1) for a description of valid options.
FILES
/etc/postgresql/cluster-version/cluster-name/pg_ctl.conf
This configuration file contains cluster specific options to be
passed to pg_ctl(1).
/etc/postgresql/cluster-version/cluster-name/start.conf
This configuration file controls the start/stop behavior of the
cluster. See section "STARTUP CONTROL" in pg_createcluster(8) for
details.
BUGS
Changing the port number on startup using -o -p will not work as it
breaks the checks for running clusters.
SEE ALSO
pg_createcluster(8), pg_ctl(1), pg_wrapper(1), pg_lsclusters(1),
postgres(1)
AUTHOR
Martin Pitt <mpitt@debian.org>
Debian 2025-05-07 PG_CTLCLUSTER(1)
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