Better Stack PostgreSQL logging

Start logging in 2 minutes

What you would like to collect from your PostgreSQL?

• Collect both logs and metrics from your PostgreSQL database
• Collect only logs from your PostgreSQL database

Collect logs & metrics

Collect logs and metrics from your PostgreSQL database using Vector and Prometheus postgres exporter.

1. Enable query statistics

The query performance charts in the PostgreSQL dashboard read from the pg_stat_statements extension. Add it to shared_preload_libraries in postgresql.conf and restart PostgreSQL:

shared_preload_libraries = 'pg_stat_statements'

Then create the extension:

CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS pg_stat_statements;

2. Create a monitoring user

Create a dedicated PostgreSQL user for Vector to scrape metrics. The pg_monitor role lets it read the statistics views, including pg_stat_statements:

psql -h localhost -U postgres \
  -c "CREATE USER better_stack_metrics WITH PASSWORD 'your_password_here'; \
      GRANT pg_monitor TO better_stack_metrics; \
      GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres TO better_stack_metrics; \
      GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA public TO better_stack_metrics;"

Create /etc/postgres_exporter.conf config file using PostgreSQL user password you've just set:

export DATA_SOURCE_NAME="postgresql://better_stack_metrics:your_password_here@localhost:5432/postgres"

3. Install PostgreSQL exporter

Install latest postgres exporter:

curl -sSL https://telemetry.betterstack.com/install/postgres_exporter | sudo -E bash

4. Enable the query statistics collector

The exporter's stat_statements collector is off by default. Add --collector.stat_statements to the exporter command in /usr/local/bin/better_stack_postgres_exporter.sh:

#!/bin/bash
source /etc/postgres_exporter.conf
exec /usr/local/bin/postgres_exporter --collector.postmaster --collector.stat_statements

5. Run exporter

Start the PostgreSQL exporter:

systemctl start postgres_exporter

launchctl start com.prometheus.postgres_exporter

6. Set up Vector

Select your platform:

curl -sSL https://telemetry.betterstack.com/setup-vector/postgresql_with_metrics/$SOURCE_TOKEN \
  -o /tmp/setup-vector.sh && \
  bash /tmp/setup-vector.sh

powershell Invoke-WebRequest https://packages.timber.io/vector/latest/vector-x64.msi -OutFile vector-latest-x64.msi
msiexec /i vector-latest-x64.msi

$config_yaml_path = "C:\Program Files\Vector\config\vector.yaml"
$backup_path = "C:\Program Files\Vector\config\vector-backup.yaml"
Move-Item -Path "$config_yaml_path" -Destination "$backup_path"
Invoke-RestMethod -Uri https://telemetry.betterstack.com/vector-yaml/postgresql_with_metrics/$SOURCE_TOKEN |
  Add-Content $config_yaml_path

& "C:\Program Files\Vector\bin\vector" --config "C:\Program Files\Vector\config\vector.yaml"

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.vector.dev | sh -s -- -y

mkdir -p /etc/vector
mkdir -p /var/lib/vector/
cat <<-'SERVICE' >> /etc/systemd/system/vector.service
[Unit]
Description=Vector
Documentation=https://vector.dev
After=network-online.target
Requires=network-online.target

[Service]
User=vector
Group=vector
ExecStart=/root/.vector/bin/vector
ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
Restart=no
AmbientCapabilities=CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE
EnvironmentFile=-/etc/default/vector

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
SERVICE

CONFIG_YAML_PATH="/etc/vector/vector.yaml"
BACKUP_SUFFIX=".bak-$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)"
mv "${CONFIG_YAML_PATH}" "${CONFIG_YAML_PATH}${BACKUP_SUFFIX}"
curl -o "$CONFIG_YAML_PATH" \
  https://telemetry.betterstack.com/vector-yaml/postgresql_with_metrics/$SOURCE_TOKEN

systemctl restart vector

You should see your logs in Better Stack → Live tail.

Collect only logs

Collect logs from your PostgreSQL database using Vector.

Select your platform:

curl -sSL https://telemetry.betterstack.com/setup-vector/postgresql/$SOURCE_TOKEN \
  -o /tmp/setup-vector.sh && \
  bash /tmp/setup-vector.sh

powershell Invoke-WebRequest https://packages.timber.io/vector/latest/vector-x64.msi -OutFile vector-latest-x64.msi
msiexec /i vector-latest-x64.msi

$config_yaml_path = "C:\Program Files\Vector\config\vector.yaml"
$backup_path = "C:\Program Files\Vector\config\vector-backup.yaml"
Move-Item -Path "$config_yaml_path" -Destination "$backup_path"
Invoke-RestMethod -Uri https://telemetry.betterstack.com/vector-yaml/postgresql/$SOURCE_TOKEN |
  Add-Content $config_yaml_path

& "C:\Program Files\Vector\bin\vector" --config "C:\Program Files\Vector\config\vector.yaml"

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.vector.dev | sh -s -- -y

mkdir -p /etc/vector
mkdir -p /var/lib/vector/
cat <<-'SERVICE' >> /etc/systemd/system/vector.service
[Unit]
Description=Vector
Documentation=https://vector.dev
After=network-online.target
Requires=network-online.target

[Service]
User=vector
Group=vector
ExecStart=/root/.vector/bin/vector
ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
Restart=no
AmbientCapabilities=CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE
EnvironmentFile=-/etc/default/vector

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
SERVICE

CONFIG_YAML_PATH="/etc/vector/vector.yaml"
BACKUP_SUFFIX=".bak-$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)"
mv "${CONFIG_YAML_PATH}" "${CONFIG_YAML_PATH}${BACKUP_SUFFIX}"
curl -o "$CONFIG_YAML_PATH" \
  https://telemetry.betterstack.com/vector-yaml/postgresql/$SOURCE_TOKEN

systemctl restart vector

You should see your logs in Better Stack → Live tail.

Need help?

Please let us know at hello@betterstack.com.
We're happy to help! 🙏

Additional information

Looking for manual instructions to set up Vector?

Find step-by-step instructions in our dedicated Vector guide.