In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of installing CockroachDB on Debian 12. CockroachDB is a distributed SQL database that’s built for cloud applications. It offers high availability, fault tolerance, and strong consistency, making it an excellent choice for developers seeking a scalable and resilient database solution.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

1. A server running Debian 12 (Bookworm).
2. A fresh OS install is recommended to avoid potential issues.
3. SSH access to the server or an open Terminal if you’re on a desktop.
4. An active internet connection to download the necessary packages and dependencies for CockroachDB.
5. A user account with sudo privileges to execute administrative commands.

Installing CockroachDB on Debian 12 Bookworm

Step 1: Update Your System

Keeping your system updated is crucial for security and performance. Start by updating your package list and upgrading existing packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Next, install the required dependencies. curl is used for downloading files from the internet, and tar is for extracting compressed files:

sudo apt install curl tar

Step 2: Download and Install CockroachDB

Download the latest version of the CockroachDB binary for Linux. Please check the official CockroachDB documentation for the latest version:

curl https://binaries.cockroachdb.com/cockroach-v23.2.0.linux-amd64.tgz-output cockroach-v23.2.0.linux-amd64.tgz

Extract the downloaded archive:

tar -xzf cockroach-v23.2.0.linux-amd64.tgz

Move the CockroachDB binary to a directory within your PATH for easy execution:

sudo cp -i cockroach-v23.2.0.linux-amd64/cockroach /usr/local/bin/

Verify the installation by checking the installed version of CockroachDB:

cockroach version

Step 3: Initialize and Run CockroachDB

Start a single-node CockroachDB cluster in insecure mode, suitable for development:

cockroach start-single-node --insecure --listen-addr=localhost:26257 --http-addr=localhost:8080 --background

Here’s what the flags mean:

• --insecure: Starts the node in insecure mode. For development purposes only. Secure mode is recommended for production.
• --listen-addr: Specifies the address for listening to SQL client connections.
• --http-addr: Specifies the address for the web UI.
• --background: Runs the process in the background.

Step 4: Access CockroachDB

Access the SQL shell with the following command:

cockroach sql --insecure --host=localhost:26257

You can also access the CockroachDB Web UI by visiting http://your-IP-address:8080 in your web browser, where you can monitor cluster health and performance.

Step 5: Create a Database and Table (Optional)

Inside the SQL shell, you can create a new database and table:

CREATE DATABASE mydb;
USE mydb;
CREATE TABLE mytable (id INT PRIMARY KEY, name STRING);

Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed CockroachDB on Debian 12 Bookworm. For further assistance or more useful information, we recommend checking the official CockroachDB website.

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Christian Wells