Docker PostGIS Setup: Deploy and Run a Spatial Database with Docker

PostGIS extends PostgreSQL databases, adding support for geographic data. It allows users to store, query, and manage spatial information directly within PostgreSQL. Examples of spatial data include coordinates, addresses, or geographic shapes. If an application needs geographic queries, such as finding points within a specific radius, PostGIS provides the necessary features.

This guide will demonstrate deploying PostGIS using Docker, configuring the container, and running it with Docker Compose.

PostGIS Configuration

The Docker PostGIS container is built upon the official PostgreSQL image, meaning it inherits PostgreSQL's environment variables. You can use the same environment variables as the official PostgreSQL image.

Supported Environment Variables

These variables help configure your PostGIS container at startup:

• POSTGRES_PASSWORD Mandatory setting for your PostgreSQL database password.

  POSTGRES_PASSWORD=mysecretpassword
  

• POSTGRES_USER Database administrator username (default is postgres if not specified).

  POSTGRES_USER=mydatabaseuser
  

• POSTGRES_DB Database created at container initialization time. Default name matches the POSTGRES_USER if not set.

  POSTGRES_DB=mygisdb
  

• POSTGRES_INITDB_ARGS Pass additional initialization parameters to PostgreSQL database creation commands.

  POSTGRES_INITDB_ARGS="--encoding=UTF8"
  

• POSTGRES_INITDB_WALDIR Set a separate write-ahead log directory during initialization.

  POSTGRES_INITDB_WALDIR=/logs
  

• POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD Set host authentication method (default uses scram-sha-256 authentication).

  POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD=trust
  

• PGDATA Specify PostgreSQL data directory location inside container.

  PGDATA=/var/lib/postgresql/data
  

Using Docker Compose

Docker Compose simplifies running multi-service containers. Use the following example to create a Docker Compose file (docker-compose.yml) running a PostgreSQL database with PostGIS extensions enabled.

Docker Compose Example

services:
  postgis:
    image: postgis/postgis:16-3.4-alpine
    container_name: postgis
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "5432:5432"
    environment:
      POSTGRES_DB: spatial_db
      POSTGRES_USER: admin
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: secretpassword
    volumes:
      - postgis_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

volumes:
  postgis_data:

Run the Container

Place your docker-compose.yml file in a directory and run the following command:

docker-compose up -d

This will pull the official PostGIS image, create a container named postgis, configure your database (spatial_db) with username (admin), password (secretpassword), and map port 5432 of your host machine.

You can now connect to your database at localhost:5432 using your PostgreSQL client or GIS tools like QGIS with these details.

Deploying on Sliplane

The easiest way to deploy a PostGIS database is on Sliplane. To get started, simply signup (free 2 day trial) and create a new service.

Select the PostGIS image, select "TCP" service and set environment variables for database name (POSTGRES_DB), username (POSTGRES_USER), and password (POSTGRES_PASSWORD). Finally create a volume that mounts the PostGIS data to /var/lib/postgresql/data. and click deploy. And thats it!

FAQ

You got questions? We got answers!

How to Check if PostGIS is Installed?

To check PostGIS installation status, connect to PostgreSQL database using psql or other PostgreSQL client and execute:

SELECT PostGIS_version();

If correctly installed, it should return PostGIS version details, e.g.:

    postgis_version
------------------------
 3.4 USE_GEOS=1 USE_PROJ=1 USE_STATS=1

Alternatively, to confirm all installed extensions within your database, run:

\dx

Look for PostGIS extensions in the returned table.

ARM CPU Support?

Official PostGIS Docker images (postgis/postgis) have built-in ARM platform support (ARM64 architecture). ARM-based systems, such as Apple silicon Macs, Raspberry Pi, or AWS Graviton servers, can run these images reliably without issue.

Sliplane Pricing - Are There Surprise Bills?

No! Sliplane always charges a flat fee, ensuring predictable costs. The only variable cost is bandwidth usage, which is billed at a flat 2 Euros per TB (slight differences between locations).

Are Dockerized PostGIS Containers Secure?

Official PostGIS containers maintain industry-standard best practices for security. The base PostgreSQL image used maintains updated security patches from Debian or Alpine Linux OS. Consider additional practices:

• Change default Postgres passwords and use strong unique passwords.
• Limit network exposure—only expose necessary ports.
• Regularly update deployed containers to use newest available images for security patches.
• Backup regularly in case of security issues.

Sliplane and container platforms handle several security responsibilities automatically. Following recommended Docker security practices can help ensure the safety of your PostGIS deployment.