repmgr/doc/install-requirements.xml

<sect1 id="install-requirements" xreflabel="installation requirements">

  <title>Requirements for installing repmgr</title>

  <indexterm>
   <primary>installation</primary>
   <secondary>requirements</secondary>
  </indexterm>

  <para>
    repmgr is developed and tested on Linux and OS X, but should work on any
    UNIX-like system supported by PostgreSQL itself. There is no support for
    Microsoft Windows.
  </para>

  <para>
   &repmgr; 4.x is compatible with all PostgreSQL versions from 9.3. See
   section <link linkend="install-compatibility-matrix">&repmgr; compatibility matrix</link>
   for an overview of version compatibility.
  </para>

  <note>
   <simpara>
    If upgrading from &repmgr; 3.x, please see the section <xref linkend="upgrading-from-repmgr-3"/>.
   </simpara>
  </note>

  <para>
   All servers in the replication cluster must be running the same major version of
   PostgreSQL, and we recommend that they also run the same minor version.
  </para>

  <para>
   &repmgr; must be installed on each server in the replication cluster.
   If installing repmgr from packages, the package version must match the PostgreSQL
   version. If installing from source, &repmgr; must be compiled against the same
   major version.
  </para>

  <note>
   <simpara>
     The same &quot;major&quot; &repmgr; version (e.g. <literal>4.2.x</literal>) <emphasis>must</emphasis>
     be installed on all node in the replication cluster. We strongly recommend keeping all
     nodes on the same (preferably latest) &quot;minor&quot; &repmgr; version to minimize the risk
     of incompatibilities.
   </simpara>
   <simpara>
     If different &quot;major&quot; &repmgr; versions (e.g. 3.3.x and 4.1.x)
     are installed on different nodes, in the best case &repmgr; (in particular &repmgrd;)
     will not run. In the worst case, you will end up with a broken cluster.
   </simpara>
  </note>

  <para>
   A dedicated system user for &repmgr; is <emphasis>not</emphasis> required; as many &repmgr; and
   &repmgrd; actions require direct access to the PostgreSQL data directory,
   these commands should be executed by the <literal>postgres</literal> user.
  </para>

  <para>
    See also <link linkend="configuration-prerequisites">Prerequisites for configuration</link>
    for information on networking requirements.
  </para>

  <tip>
   <simpara>
    We recommend using a session multiplexer utility such as <command>screen</command> or
    <command>tmux</command> when performing long-running actions (such as cloning a database)
    on a remote server - this will ensure the &repmgr; action won't be prematurely
    terminated if your <command>ssh</command> session to the server is interrupted or closed.
    </simpara>
  </tip>

  <sect2 id="install-compatibility-matrix">

    <title>&repmgr; compatibility matrix</title>

    <indexterm>
      <primary>repmgr</primary>
      <secondary>compatibility matrix</secondary>
    </indexterm>

    <indexterm>
      <primary>compatibility matrix</primary>
    </indexterm>

    <para>
      The following table provides an overview of which &repmgr; version supports
      which PostgreSQL version.
    </para>


    <table id="repmgr-compatibility-matrix">
      <title>&repmgr; compatibility matrix</title>

      <tgroup cols="3">
        <thead>
          <row>
            <entry>
              &repmgr; version
            </entry>
            <entry>
              Latest release
            </entry>
            <entry>
              Supported PostgreSQL versions
            </entry>
          </row>
        </thead>

        <tbody>
          <row>
            <entry>
              &repmgr; 4.x
            </entry>
            <entry>
              <link linkend="release-4.2">4.2</link> (2018-10-24)
            </entry>
            <entry>
              9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 10, 11
            </entry>
          </row>

          <row>
            <entry>
              &repmgr; 3.x
            </entry>
            <entry>
              <ulink url="https://repmgr.org/release-notes-3.3.2.html">3.3.2</ulink> (2017-05-30)
            </entry>
            <entry>
              9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6
            </entry>
          </row>

          <row>
            <entry>
              &repmgr; 2.x
            </entry>
            <entry>
              <ulink url="https://repmgr.org/release-notes-2.0.3.html">2.0.3</ulink> (2015-04-16)
            </entry>
            <entry>
              9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4
            </entry>
          </row>
        </tbody>

      </tgroup>
    </table>

    <important>
      <para>
        The &repmgr; 2.x and 3.x series are no longer maintained or supported.
        We strongly recommend  upgrading to the latest &repmgr; version.
      </para>
    </important>


    <para>
      Note that some &repmgr; functionality is not available in PostgreSQL 9.3 and PostgreSQL 9.4.
    </para>
    <itemizedlist spacing="compact" mark="bullet">

      <listitem>
        <para>
          PostgreSQL 9.3 does not support replication slots, so corresponding &repmgr; functionality
          is not available.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          In PostgreSQL 9.3 and PostgreSQL 9.4, <command>pg_rewind</command> is not part of the core
          distribution. <command>pg_rewind</command> will need to be compiled separately to be able
          to use any &repmgr; functionality which takes advantage of it.
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>

  </sect2>
 </sect1>