PostgreSQL · Local · embedded server
Can you run PostgreSQL on Android?
Short answer
Yes. PocketCode ships a real, embedded PostgreSQL 18.2 server that runs directly on your 64-bit ARM Android phone — not a wrapper or emulator. The postgres, initdb, pg_ctl, pg_dump and pg_restore binaries come with the app (there is no psql), and the first time you tap the local database card the data directory is installed and the server starts. You get full SQL, JSONB, window functions and 17 bundled extensions, all on the device.
What you can do with it
- Build and test a production-grade Postgres schema without any cloud host
- Develop against real PostgreSQL features — JSONB, CTEs, window functions — on the device
- Run a local database server for on-device app development and debugging
- Learn advanced SQL on the exact engine your production backend uses
Good to know
The embedded server runs on 64-bit ARM (arm64-v8a) devices only, not on x86_64 emulators or Chromebooks. The first local database is free; creating additional databases inside the local server is a Pro feature. Your data stays on the device and needs no internet connection, but Android can stop the server while the app is in the background.