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PostgreSQL#

PostgreSQL is the core database system used by DUMB to store metadata and internal configuration for services like Riven, Zilean, and pgAdmin.

It is pre-installed and automatically initialized during container startup.

Configuration Settings in dumb_config.json#

"postgres": {
  "enabled": false,
  "process_name": "PostgreSQL",
  "suppress_logging": false,
  "log_level": "INFO",
  "host": "127.0.0.1",
  "port": 5432,
  "databases": [
    { "name": "postgres", "enabled": true },
    { "name": "pgadmin", "enabled": true },
    { "name": "zilean", "enabled": true },
    { "name": "riven", "enabled": true },
    { "name": "traefik_proxy_admin", "enabled": true }
  ],
  "config_dir": "/postgres_data",
  "config_file": "/postgres_data/postgresql.conf",
  "log_file": "/log/postgres.log",
  "initdb_args": "--data-checksums",
  "user": "DUMB",
  "password": "postgres",
  "shared_buffers": "128MB",
  "max_connections": 100,
  "run_directory": "/run/postgresql",
  "command": "postgres -D {postgres_config_dir} -c config_file={postgres_config_file}",
  "env": {}
},

Configuration Key Descriptions#

  • enabled: Whether to start the PostgreSQL service.
  • process_name: The label used in logs and process tracking.
  • suppress_logging: If true, disables log output for this service.
  • log_level: Logging verbosity level (e.g., DEBUG, INFO).
  • host: IP address for PostgreSQL to listen on.
  • port: Port exposed for the PostgreSQL server.
  • shared_buffers – Amount of memory allocated to PostgreSQL.
  • max_connections – Maximum simultaneous database connections.
  • databases – List of databases to initialize, with each entry containing:
    • name – Name of the database.
    • enabled – Whether this database should be created.
  • config_dir – Directory where PostgreSQL configuration files are stored.
  • config_file – Path to the primary PostgreSQL configuration file.
  • log_file – Path to the PostgreSQL log file.
  • initdb_args – Additional arguments passed to initdb during database initialization.
  • user/password – Default database credentials.
  • run_directory – Directory where PostgreSQL runtime files (like sockets) are stored.
  • command – The command used to start PostgreSQL.
  • env – Dictionary of environment variables passed to the process.

Access & Credentials#

  • Default Port: 5432
  • Default User: DUMB
  • Default Password: postgres
  • Default Databases:
    • postgres
    • pgadmin
    • zilean
    • riven
    • traefik_proxy_admin
    • dumb_metrics when PostgreSQL is selected under Metrics → Settings → History Storage
    • radarr-main / radarr-log when a Radarr instance has postgres_enabled: true
    • sonarr-main / sonarr-log when a Sonarr instance has postgres_enabled: true
    • lidarr-main / lidarr-log when a Lidarr instance has postgres_enabled: true
    • prowlarr-main / prowlarr-log when a Prowlarr instance has postgres_enabled: true
    • whisparr-main / whisparr-log when a Whisparr instance has postgres_enabled: true

Arr PostgreSQL databases

DUMB creates the main/log databases and writes the matching Arr config.xml entries when postgres_enabled is true on a supported Arr instance. SQLite remains the default for new Arr instances, and PostgreSQL is an explicit opt-in.

In onboarding, enabling postgres_enabled on Radarr, Sonarr, Lidarr, Prowlarr, or Whisparr automatically enables and starts PostgreSQL as needed. You do not need to select PostgreSQL separately as an optional service.

The PostgreSQL toggle is not a migration tool

DUMB does not copy an existing Arr SQLite database into PostgreSQL. Setting postgres_enabled: true creates/configures PostgreSQL databases and starts the Arr against them; it does not migrate radarr.db, sonarr.db, lidarr.db, prowlarr.db, or whisparr.db.

If you switch an existing SQLite-backed Arr instance without a manual migration, the app may start against empty PostgreSQL databases and look like a fresh install.

For existing Sonarr and Radarr instances, use DUMB's separate guided SQLite-to-PostgreSQL migration tool. Upstream Servarr still classifies this migration as unsupported.

No known PostgreSQL-to-SQLite migration

There is no known supported migration path from PostgreSQL back to SQLite for supported Arr services. Treat Arr PostgreSQL mode as a long-term database choice unless you are willing to recreate the affected Arr instance from scratch.

Existing Arr SQLite instances#

For existing Arr instances, use PostgreSQL mode only after deciding how you want to handle the existing SQLite data:

  1. Keep SQLite: leave postgres_enabled: false.
  2. Start fresh on PostgreSQL: back up the Arr config directory, enable postgres_enabled, and accept that the PostgreSQL databases start empty.
  3. Guided migration for Sonarr/Radarr: open the instance service page, select Database Migration, complete a rehearsal, and review its validation before cutover.
  4. Attempt manual migration for another supported Arr: back up the Arr config directory and /postgres_data, initialize the PostgreSQL schema, then follow that Arr's upstream migration notes.

DUMB's guided tool automates consistent SQLite backups, Arr schema initialization, native data-only import, dynamic sequence repair, table-count validation, progress reporting, and configuration rollback for Sonarr and Radarr. Lidarr, Prowlarr, and Whisparr remain manual.

Upstream PostgreSQL setup and migration references:

Override any of the above using POSTGRES_USER, POSTGRES_PASSWORD, or POSTGRES_DB environment variables.

Data & Config Paths#

Purpose Path
Data Directory /postgres_data
Config File /postgres_data/postgresql.conf
Runtime Directory /run/postgresql
Log File /log/postgres.log

Useful Commands#

Run SQL Command Directly (one-liner)#

docker exec -it DUMB psql -U DUMB -d riven -c 'SELECT COUNT(*) FROM media;'

Enter the Container & PostgreSQL Shell#

docker exec -it DUMB /bin/bash
psql -U DUMB -d riven

Drop the Riven Database#

This will permanently delete the Riven database. Be sure you’ve backed up anything important.

From the host (one-liner): 

docker exec -it DUMB psql -U DUMB -c 'DROP DATABASE riven;'

From inside the container: 

docker exec -it DUMB /bin/bash
psql -U DUMB
DROP DATABASE riven;

Tips#

  • Always restart the container after modifying config files in /postgres_data.
  • Ensure you mount /postgres_data if you want persistent databases.
  • pgAdmin is the easiest way to visually explore and manage PostgreSQL.

Pre-existing shared memory block#

If an older DUMB process leaves PostgreSQL running inside the same container, the old server may continue owning /postgres_data and its original port. Starting another postmaster against that directory produces pre-existing shared memory block ... is still in use and a hint to terminate old server processes.

Current DUMB startup reads postmaster.pid, verifies that the referenced live process is PostgreSQL for the exact configured data directory, and requests a fast clean pg_ctl shutdown before reserving ports. If an older DUMB release already removed the PID file, startup scans PostgreSQL parent command lines and acts only when exactly one process has -D pointing to that same canonical data directory. It refuses ambiguous matches. DUMB never blindly removes a live PID file or deletes a shared-memory segment. If the safety check refuses a PID, inspect the complete error and process ownership rather than using ipcrm; the refusal means DUMB could not prove that the process was safe to stop.

More Info#