How to Install Metabase with PostgreSQL on Ubuntu 24.04

Metabase with PostgreSQL on Ubuntu 24.04 (Docker Compose + Nginx + SSL)

Metabase is an open-source business intelligence (BI) and data visualization platform that makes it easy for teams to explore, analyze, and visualize data — without needing complex SQL queries. With an intuitive web-based interface, users can create dashboards, charts, and reports directly from databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, or MongoDB.

Running Metabase on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) with PostgreSQL provides a stable, secure, and high-performance analytics environment. Ubuntu 24.04 offers systemd 255, OpenSSL 3, and updated Docker support, making it an excellent foundation for deploying Metabase in production with Docker Compose, Nginx reverse proxy, and SSL encryption.

Architecture Overview

Layer	Component	Role
OS	Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	Secure and long-term supported Linux base
Container Runtime	Docker Engine + Compose	Orchestrates Metabase and PostgreSQL containers
Database	PostgreSQL 15/16	Stores Metabase configurations, dashboards, and user data
Application	Metabase Server	Provides BI dashboards, queries, and visualization interface
Reverse Proxy	Nginx (optional)	Handles HTTPS, caching, compression, and routing
TLS	Let’s Encrypt / PKI	Secures connections to the web interface via HTTPS

Why Use Metabase?

Self-hosted BI platform – analyze your data without relying on SaaS tools.
Simple, no-code interface – build dashboards and charts visually.
SQL support – write and optimize custom SQL queries when needed.
Integrates easily – connects with PostgreSQL, MySQL, BigQuery, and others.
Open-source and free – deploy anywhere with no license restrictions.
Enterprise features – LDAP, SSO, and advanced permissions (in paid tiers).

Metabase vs Other BI Tools

Feature/Capability	Metabase (Self-hosted)	Tableau (Cloud)	Power BI (Microsoft)	Superset (Self-hosted)
Hosting	Self-hosted (Docker)	SaaS / Desktop	SaaS / Windows only	Self-hosted (Docker)
Cost	Free, open-source	Subscription	Subscription	Free, open-source
Database support	SQL databases	Broad	Microsoft-centric	SQL databases
Ease of use	Very easy	Moderate	Moderate	Developer-focused
Ideal for	Small to mid teams	Enterprises	Enterprises	Data engineers

Metabase is ideal for teams that want powerful analytics without vendor lock-in or complex enterprise software dependencies.

Security & Best Practices

Run Metabase behind Nginx with HTTPS enabled.
Store PostgreSQL credentials in Docker secrets or .env securely.
Use a dedicated PostgreSQL user with limited privileges.
Keep Ubuntu, Docker, and Metabase images updated regularly.
Automate database backups using pg_dump or snapshot tools.
Restrict PostgreSQL access to internal Docker networks only.
Automate SSL renewals with Certbot or Traefik’s ACME integration.
Use strong admin credentials and restrict dashboard access by roles.

Typical Use Cases

Data analytics and BI dashboards for startups and enterprises.
Marketing or sales analytics powered by PostgreSQL data.
Internal KPI monitoring and performance dashboards.
Product usage analytics for SaaS and web applications.
Centralized reporting across multiple data sources.

Deploying Metabase with PostgreSQL on Ubuntu 24.04 gives you a modern, secure, and scalable analytics platform that empowers your team to visualize data, discover insights, and make data-driven decisions — all while keeping full control of your infrastructure.

Step 1: Create a Server Instance on Shape.Host

Go to Shape.Host and log in.

Click Create → Instance.

Choose your preferred server location.

Select a plan with at least 2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM, 20 GB SSD.

Choose Ubuntu 24.04 (64-bit) as the OS.

Click Create Instance.

After provisioning, copy the instance’s public IP address from the Resources section.

Step 2: Connect to Your Server

Use SSH to connect:

Linux / macOS: ssh root@your_server_ip
Windows (PuTTY):
1. Open PuTTY → enter your IP.
2. Click Open and log in as root.

Step 3: Install Docker Engine and Docker Compose

Update system packages:

apt update

Install required dependencies for secure repositories:

apt install ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release

Create a key directory for Docker:

mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings

Download Docker’s GPG key:

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc

Add Docker’s official repository:

echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] \
https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" \
> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list

Update package lists again:

apt update

Install Docker Engine, CLI, and Compose plugin:

apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

Enable Docker to start automatically:

systemctl enable docker

Start the Docker service:

systemctl start docker

Check installed versions:

docker --version
docker compose version

Step 4: Set Up the Metabase Directory

Create a working folder:

mkdir -p /opt/metabase
cd /opt/metabase

Step 5: Create the Docker Compose Configuration

Open a new file:

nano docker-compose.yml

Paste the following configuration:

version: "3.9"

services:
  db:
    image: postgres:15
    container_name: metabase-postgres
    restart: always
    environment:
      POSTGRES_USER: metabase
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: StrongPassword123!
      POSTGRES_DB: metabase
    volumes:
      - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    ports:
      - "5432:5432"

  metabase:
    image: metabase/metabase:latest
    container_name: metabase-app
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    environment:
      MB_DB_TYPE: postgres
      MB_DB_DBNAME: metabase
      MB_DB_PORT: 5432
      MB_DB_USER: metabase
      MB_DB_PASS: StrongPassword123!
      MB_DB_HOST: db
    depends_on:
      - db
    volumes:
      - mb-data:/metabase-data

volumes:
  pgdata:
  mb-data:

Explanation

Service	Description
db	A PostgreSQL 15 container storing Metabase’s internal data.
metabase	The Metabase web application itself.
pgdata / mb-data	Docker volumes for persistent storage of database and app data.

Save and exit (CTRL + O, then CTRL + X).

Step 6: Deploy Metabase

Pull the latest container images:

docker compose pull

Start the containers:

docker compose up -d

Check that both containers are running:

docker compose ps

You should see both metabase-app and metabase-postgres marked as Up.

Step 7: Access Metabase

Open your browser and go to:

http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:3000

You’ll see the Metabase setup wizard.

Create an admin account.
Connect to the existing PostgreSQL database (configured automatically).
Start building dashboards and visualizations.
Welcome to Metabase
The welcome page confirms that Metabase is working.
Click on “Let’s get started” to begin the setup process.

Choose Your Language

Metabase asks for your preferred interface language.

Select English (or another language if you prefer).
Click Next.

Administrator Account Setup

Create your admin profile for Metabase.

Fill in the fields as shown:

First name: Andrei
Last name: Gh
Email: contact@shape.host
Company or team name: ShapeHost
Password: Choose a strong one
Confirm password: Repeat the same password

Click Next to continue.

Usage Purpose

Metabase will ask how you plan to use it.
Select the option:

Self-service analytics for my own company

This setting helps Metabase tailor the experience to your needs.
Click Next.

Database Connection

Here, you can connect Metabase to your data source.

Since we’ve already configured PostgreSQL earlier, you can either:

Connect your PostgreSQL database now,
or
Click Continue with sample data to explore Metabase first.

Later, you can go to Admin > Databases > Add Database to connect your PostgreSQL server manually.

Data Collection Preferences

Metabase asks if you want to send anonymous usage data to improve their platform.
You can:

Keep it enabled (default), or
Disable it for privacy.

Click Finish to complete the setup.

Metabase Home Page

After setup, you’ll reach the Metabase dashboard.
You can now:

Browse sample analytics (Accounts, Orders, Reviews, Invoices, etc.)
Connect your PostgreSQL database from the left panel (Add data)
Start creating dashboards, models, and visualizations

You’ve successfully installed Metabase with PostgreSQL on Ubuntu 24.04 using Docker Compose.
Your analytics stack is now ready for secure, scalable data visualization and reporting.

For better performance and uptime, deploy Metabase on a Shape.Host Linux SSD VPS, optimized for container workloads and real-time data analysis.

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