PostgreSQL on Demand is, in a nutshell, a full PostgreSQL installation all packed up in small application bundle. Drag and drop the app anywhere, run it whenever. Voila, a local PostgreSQL installation, running in the context of the current user.

Simple enough in theory. In reality, this is not a situation that PostgreSQL is really designed for. With some tweaking, we get PostgreSQL on Demand. The implementation is straightforward. All data is stored in the path at ~/Library/PostgreSQL on Demand/ where it can easily be backed up or removed. Also built in to the application is a simple data management application.

Still very much a work in progress, PostgreSQL on Demand is currently available as a free download without restriction. As we get closer to a completed product it will move to the Mac App Store. Why the Mac App Store? because this project has but one purpose, to fund the PostgreSQL for Mac project, where donations have never been effective.

The original intended use of this was as a development tool to allow for our developers to have a PostgreSQL instance that they could quickly and easily run as needed, and to quickly and easily remove and restart with the data itself. The end result turns out to be very well suited to pretty much anyone that needs a non-production instance of PostgreSQL. From education, to development and even as a personal database that just happens to be a full RDBMS, PostgreSQL on Demand can fill the need.

Licensing

For this pre-release, we are treating the public licensing very liberally. Download it, use it in non-production environments and provide us with issues and suggestions. You are not granted any rights to resell the software. No rights other than usage of the software are granted.