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PostgreSQL pgAdmin 4

pgAdmin provides a graphical interface for server connections, database objects and queries. It still sends SQL to an actual PostgreSQL server.

How it works

Register your own lab server using its real local address, port and role. Select bhylu_pg_lab and open its Query Tool before loading a lesson. Check the connection identity rather than relying only on a saved display name. The review executes this SQL with psql; it does not claim to automate a particular pgAdmin installation or validate its saved-password settings.

Run in a separate PostgreSQL lab

Use PostgreSQL 18; the reviewed server and client tools are 18.6. PostgreSQL is separate from XAMPP MySQL/MariaDB and Bhylu’s SQLite playground. No PostgreSQL browser runner is available. These lessons do not change PHP, Apache or your normal database services.

  1. On your own private learning instance, have its administrator create an empty bhylu_pg_lab database. This administrative step runs outside a transaction. Stop if the database already exists; do not replace it.
  2. Connect explicitly to that database with its lab host, port and role. Save this download as pgadmin.sql. With the matching client run psql -X -h 127.0.0.1 -p YOUR_LAB_PORT -U YOUR_LAB_ROLE -d bhylu_pg_lab -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 -f pgadmin.sql. Replace the two uppercase placeholders; never paste a password into the lesson or a committed command.
  3. The complete SQL checks the database name, creates a fresh bhylu_lesson schema, sets UTC, ISO dates and bounded timeouts, and seeds all four tables. It refuses an existing schema instead of overwriting it. It then runs the lesson and rolls everything back. In pgAdmin, run the complete SQL through Query Tool; if a statement fails, issue ROLLBACK before retrying.

Download the complete pgadmin.sql script. Each script is independent; do not import one lesson’s seed into another lesson’s transaction. Cost values are exact numeric fixtures; measurement totals are not claims about real water usage.

Review boundary: SQL is executed against PostgreSQL; pgAdmin UI actions are instructions, not automated UI checks.

Example

pgadmin.sql

-- Bhylu PostgreSQL 18.6 lab: pgAdmin 4
-- Use only your separate disposable database named bhylu_pg_lab.
-- Each example creates a fresh schema inside a transaction, then rolls back.
BEGIN ISOLATION LEVEL READ COMMITTED;
DO $$ BEGIN
  IF current_database() <> 'bhylu_pg_lab' THEN
    RAISE EXCEPTION 'Choose the disposable bhylu_pg_lab database';
  END IF;
END $$;
CREATE SCHEMA bhylu_lesson;
SET LOCAL search_path = bhylu_lesson, pg_catalog;
SET LOCAL timezone = 'UTC';
SET LOCAL datestyle = 'ISO, YMD';
SET LOCAL statement_timeout = '10s';
SET LOCAL lock_timeout = '2s';
CREATE TABLE tanks (
  id integer PRIMARY KEY,
  label text NOT NULL UNIQUE,
  capacity_l integer NOT NULL CHECK (capacity_l > 0),
  zone text
);
CREATE TABLE readings (
  id integer PRIMARY KEY,
  tank_id integer NOT NULL REFERENCES tanks(id),
  measured_at timestamptz NOT NULL,
  litres integer NOT NULL CHECK (litres >= 0)
);
CREATE TABLE technicians (id integer PRIMARY KEY, name text NOT NULL);
CREATE TABLE inspections (
  id integer PRIMARY KEY,
  tank_id integer NOT NULL REFERENCES tanks(id),
  technician_id integer REFERENCES technicians(id),
  status text NOT NULL CHECK (status IN ('planned','pending','done')),
  cost numeric(8,2) CHECK (cost >= 0)
);
INSERT INTO tanks VALUES
  (1,'North roof',1000,'North'),
  (2,'Library',600,'Central'),
  (3,'Workshop',800,'North'),
  (4,'Garden',400,NULL);
INSERT INTO readings VALUES
  (1,1,'2026-01-10 06:00:00+00',300),
  (2,1,'2026-01-11 06:00:00+00',450),
  (3,2,'2026-01-10 06:00:00+00',200),
  (4,3,'2026-01-10 06:00:00+00',0),
  (5,2,'2026-01-11 06:00:00+00',350);
INSERT INTO technicians VALUES (1,'Mira'),(2,'Dev'),(3,'Noor');
INSERT INTO inspections VALUES
  (11,1,1,'done',12.50),
  (12,2,2,'pending',NULL),
  (13,3,1,'done',20.00),
  (14,1,NULL,'planned',0.00);

-- Lesson commands begin here.
SELECT current_database() AS selected_database, count(*) AS readings FROM readings;
-- No changes from this lesson are kept.
ROLLBACK;

Focus on the lesson query

This excerpt omits the guarded transaction, schema and dataset. Use the complete download to run it.

Query excerpt

SELECT current_database() AS selected_database, count(*) AS readings FROM readings;

Expected result

bhylu_pg_lab|5

Expected rows use a pipe between columns and <NULL> for a missing value. A normal client may display headings, spacing and NULL differently. Use the script’s explicit ORDER BY when comparing results.

Five readings confirm that the complete lesson seed is present in the current transaction. Query Tool behavior such as autocommit affects how you finish or abandon manual work; the supplied script explicitly begins and rolls back its transaction. If a statement fails, roll back the failed transaction before rerunning the complete script.

Official reference

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