Re: Linux Users vs PostgreSQL Users

On Tuesday, November 10, 2015 10:41:35 AM Michael Convey wrote:
> ​Are PostgreSQL roles always associated with a Linux user account? In other
> words, can I have a PostgresSQL user account that is unrelated to any Linux
> account? Is there a detailed tutorial on accounts and roles that explains
> this topic? I found the following confusing:
>
> http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.3/static/client-authentication.html
> http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.3/static/user-manag.html
> http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.3/static/database-roles.html

PostgreSQL roles are created and maintained separately from system accounts.

It is possible to setup PostgreSQL in such a way that it can share
authentication information with identically-named systems accounts, but is not
normally setup that way.

It is common, though, that distributions will setup PostgreSQL in such a way
that it automatically trusts connections from identically named systems
accounts via the Trust authentication method. You can change that in
pg_hba.conf.