postgres uses a database password or a user password

Question

I imported a postgres database in my local postgres server. I had to connect to the database (to allows django to retrive data) using the file called setup.local.

There is required to specify: DB_HOST=localhost, DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD.

DB_HOST is localhost without any doubt. The DB_name is the one I choose importing (psql imported_db < downloaded_DB)

DB_USER is my_name (or I can change the owner ALTER DATABASE imported_db OWNER TO other_name).

The wire thing, for me, is that I have to use the user (either the my_name or other_name) password and not the database password (even if the variable name is DB_PASSWORD).

So the question: does a psql database have a password or just the roles/users have ones and use them to access the database?

Andrea

Answer 1

Passwords are set for USER and ROLE only. A user may access multiple databases, according to the GRANTs for the ROLE.

See also:

• https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/ddl-priv.html
• https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/client-authentication.html
• https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/user-manag.html