Host pgAdmin 4 for Your PostgreSQL Database

pgAdmin 4 hosting on Square Cloud: run it with Gunicorn, set config_local.py and the setup email and password, then manage PostgreSQL from any browser.

Introduction

To develop and host a pgAdmin instance on Square Cloud, it’s essential to follow a structured sequence of configurations and prerequisites. This technical guide will cover the entire process, from initial setup to production deployment.

Prerequisites

• Square Cloud Account: Register through the signup page using your email.
• Active plan: Ensures dedicated resources and optimized performance for your application. Check our available plans and choose the most suitable for your needs.

This guide runs on the Python runtime.

Get the project

pgAdmin runs on Python, so the project needs a requirements.txt or a pyproject.toml (see how to create a requirements.txt). It lists pgadmin4 and a web server to serve it. This guide uses gunicorn:

requirements.txt

pgadmin4==9.18
gunicorn==26.2.0

The versions are pinned, as in our ready-made release, so a reinstall never jumps to a new version with breaking changes. To update later, change them here and upload your project again.

Next, create a config_local.py file. pgAdmin reads it on startup: these settings run it as a web server and keep its data, log and SQLite database in a .pgadmin folder inside your application.

config_local.py

SERVER_MODE = True
MAX_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS = 3
"""
    CRITICAL 50
    ERROR    40
    WARNING  30
    SQL      25
    INFO     20
    DEBUG    10
    NOTSET    0
"""
CONSOLE_LOG_LEVEL = 10
DATA_DIR = "/application/.pgadmin/"
LOG_FILE = "/application/.pgadmin/logfile"
SQLITE_PATH = '/application/.pgadmin/pgadmin4.db'

We already have everything ready for deploy in our pgadmin4-web releases. You just need to download the project.zip, fill in the two variables below and upload it.

Configure Square Cloud

Create a squarecloud.app file at the root of your project:

squarecloud.app

DISPLAY_NAME=App name
RUNTIME=python
MEMORY=1024
START=python -m gunicorn --bind 0.0.0.0:80 --workers=1 --threads=4 pgadmin4.pgAdmin4:app
VERSION=recommended
SUBDOMAIN=my-pgadmin-subdomain

Gunicorn listens on port 80 on all interfaces (0.0.0.0), where Square Cloud delivers your subdomain’s traffic. Keep a single worker (--workers=1) and add threads instead: with more workers, pgAdmin fails with CSRF errors. When uploading from the dashboard, set the runtime manually to Python and use the same START command as the startup command.

Environment variables

Set 2 environment variables, PGADMIN_SETUP_EMAIL and PGADMIN_SETUP_PASSWORD. pgAdmin uses them to create the first user when it starts for the first time.

.env

PGADMIN_SETUP_EMAIL=[e-mail]
PGADMIN_SETUP_PASSWORD=yourSecurePassword

Set them in the upload form’s Advanced configuration, on the application’s Environment Variables page (then restart it), or with squarecloud app env set. pgAdmin doesn’t read a .env file at the root of your project, so these values only work as environment variables. See Environment variables.

What goes in the ZIP

• requirements.txt or pyproject.toml
• config_local.py
• squarecloud.app

Deploy and verify

Via dashboard

1. Access the Upload Page

   Access the upload page and upload your project zip file.

2. Configure Your Environment

   After uploading your zip, you will need to configure the name, main file or runtime environment and other settings for your project.
   If you are uploading a web project, make sure to select “Web Publication” and set a subdomain to your project.

3. Deploy Your Project

   Finally, click on the “Deploy” button to host your project on Square Cloud.
   After deployment, you can monitor your project’s status and logs from the dashboard.

   
4. Confirm Your App Is Live

   Your first deploy usually takes less than a minute. In the dashboard, wait for your application status to show as running and check the logs for any startup errors.
   If you deployed a website or API, open https://<your-subdomain>.squareweb.app in your browser: you should see your application responding. If you deployed a bot, send it a command to confirm it is online.

Via CLI

To use this method, your project needs a configuration file named squarecloud.app at its root. It tells Square Cloud how to run your application.

Configuration file guide

Learn how to create the squarecloud.app configuration file that defines your application’s environment.

1. Install the CLI

   Install the Square Cloud CLI. If you already have it, run the same command to update it:

   macOS, Linux, and WSL

   curl -fsSL https://cli.squarecloud.app/install | bash
   
2. Log In

   Run the command below. It opens your browser: approve the login there and the CLI is ready. There is no API key to copy. For scripts and CI, see CLI authentication.

   squarecloud auth login
   
3. Upload Your Project

   From your project folder, run the command below. The CLI zips the current folder, leaving out what squarecloud.ignore lists, and uploads it:

   squarecloud upload
   

   To upload a zip you created yourself, pass it with --file:

   squarecloud upload --file <path/to/zip>
   
4. Confirm Your App Is Live

   Your first deploy usually takes less than a minute. Check your application status and logs directly from the terminal:

   squarecloud app status
   squarecloud app logs
   

   If you deployed a website or API, open https://<your-subdomain>.squareweb.app in your browser: you should see your application responding. If you deployed a bot, send it a command to confirm it is online.

First access

Open https://my-pgadmin-subdomain.squareweb.app and log in with the email and password you set. Then add your PostgreSQL server to manage it from anywhere.

Common errors

Custom domain

To use a custom domain (e.g., mysite.com) instead of the default URL mysite.squareweb.app, you need the Standard plan or higher. The default URL comes from the SUBDOMAIN field in the configuration file. To connect your domain, follow how to set up your own domain.

Minimum RAM requirements

Minimum: 512MB RAM for websites and APIs, enough for a static build on the static runtime. For apps that render pages on a server (Next.js, Nuxt, Angular SSR and similar), we recommend at least 1GB RAM. For larger applications, allocate more RAM to prevent the application from running out of memory and crashing.

Could not find this site.

Check if the subdomain/domain matches what’s configured in the SUBDOMAIN field or in the custom domain settings. If you just uploaded the site, wait up to 60 seconds for Square to enable first access.

Site took too long to respond…

Your server must listen on port 80 and host 0.0.0.0. Square Cloud sets the PORT (80) and HOST (0.0.0.0) environment variables in your application: read them in your code instead of hardcoding other values. A server that listens only on localhost or 127.0.0.1 never receives requests.

CSRF errors after logging in

pgAdmin runs with more than one Gunicorn worker. Set --workers=1 in the START command, add threads with --threads if you need more capacity, then restart the application.

Next steps

Managed database

Create a PostgreSQL database to manage with pgAdmin.

Database connection errors

Fix SSL/TLS and connection errors.

Gunicorn

Tune the web server that runs pgAdmin.

For more about pgAdmin, see the official pgAdmin documentation.

Contact us

If you continue facing technical difficulties, our specialized support team is available to assist you. Contact us and we’ll be happy to help you resolve any issue: support quality is a big part of why developers rate Square Cloud 4.9/5 across 402 reviews on Google and Trustpilot.