PostgreSQL is an open-source relational database management system that is widely used by developers to store and retrieve data. To use PostgreSQL in a project, it is necessary to install it on the system and set up the configuration files. However, sometimes users may encounter errors during the installation or configuration process. One such error is “pg_config executable not found.” In this article, we will discuss the possible causes of this error and provide some solutions to fix it.
What is pg_config?
Pg_config is a command-line utility that is used to retrieve information about the installed PostgreSQL software. It is used by many PostgreSQL extensions during their installation process to determine the location of the PostgreSQL libraries and header files. Pg_config is typically installed along with the PostgreSQL server and client software.
Causes of “pg_config executable not found” error:
There can be several reasons why you might encounter the “pg_config executable not found” error. Some of the most common causes are.
Missing PostgreSQL installation
The most common reason for this error is the absence of PostgreSQL installation. Pg_config is a part of the PostgreSQL client tools, and it is not installed by default. Therefore, you must install PostgreSQL on your system before you can use pg_config.
Incorrect PostgreSQL installation
If PostgreSQL is installed on your system, but you still get the “pg_config executable not found” error, it could be because of an incorrect installation. The error may occur if the PostgreSQL installation did not add the pg_config executable to the system’s path.
Incorrect path variable
Sometimes, the path to the PostgreSQL bin directory may not be included in the system’s path variable. In such cases, the system cannot find the pg_config executable, leading to the error.
Solutions to fix “pg_config executable not found” error:
Now that we have seen the possible causes of the “pg_config executable not found” error let’s look at some solutions to fix it.
Install PostgreSQL
If you have not already done so, the first step to fixing the error is to install PostgreSQL on your system. You can download PostgreSQL from the official website (https://www.postgresql.org/download/), and follow the installation instructions for your platform.
Add PostgreSQL bin directory to the system path
If you have already installed PostgreSQL, but the error persists, you can try adding the PostgreSQL bin directory to the system’s path variable. To do this, follow the steps below.
- Open the start menu and search for “Environment Variables.”
- Click on “Edit the system environment variables.”
- Click on “Environment Variables” in the “Advanced” tab.
- Under “System Variables,” scroll down and select the “Path” variable and click on “Edit.”
- Click on “New” and add the path to the PostgreSQL bin directory. The default location of the PostgreSQL bin directory is C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL<version>\bin.
- Click “OK” to close all the windows.
Use the correct version of pg_config
If you have multiple versions of PostgreSQL installed on your system, you may encounter the error if you are using the wrong version of pg_config. To fix this error, ensure that you are using the correct version of pg_config for your installed version of PostgreSQL.
Check the location of pg_config
If you have installed PostgreSQL in a non-default location, the location of pg_config may be different. To locate the correct location of pg_config, search for “pg_config” on your system and note down the path. Then, use the correct path when executing the pg_config command.
Conclusion
The “pg_config executable not found” error is a common error that can occur during the installation or configuration of PostgreSQL. In this article, we have discussed the possible causes of the error and provided some solutions. The “pg_config executable not found” error can be frustrating, but it is relatively easy to fix if you follow the correct steps. By ensuring that PostgreSQL is correctly installed, adding the PostgreSQL bin directory to the system’s path variable, using the correct version of pg_config, and checking the location of pg_config, you can quickly resolve the error and get back to working on your project.
