PostgreSQL 7.1.3 Documentation
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# CREATE USER

## Name

CREATE USER -- Creates a new database user

## Synopsis

    CREATE USER username
        [ WITH
         [ SYSID uid ]
         [ PASSWORD 'password' ] ]
        [ CREATEDB   | NOCREATEDB ] [ CREATEUSER | NOCREATEUSER ]
        [ IN GROUP     groupname [, ...] ]
        [ VALID UNTIL  'abstime' ]

### Inputs

`username`

  The name of the user.

`uid`

  The `SYSID` clause can be used to choose the Postgres user id of the user that is being created. It is not at all necessary that those match the UNIX user ids, but some people choose to keep the numbers the same.

  If this is not specified, the highest assigned user id plus one will be used as default.

`password`

  Sets the user's password. If you do not plan to use password authentication you can omit this option, otherwise the user won't be able to connect to a password-authenticated server. See the chapter on client authentication in the Administrator's Guide for details on how to set up authentication mechanisms.

CREATEDB, NOCREATEDB

  These clauses define a user's ability to create databases. If CREATEDB is specified, the user being defined will be allowed to create his own databases. Using NOCREATEDB will deny a user the ability to create databases. If this clause is omitted, NOCREATEDB is used by default.

CREATEUSER, NOCREATEUSER

  These clauses determine whether a user will be permitted to create new users himself. This option will also make the user a superuser who can override all access restrictions. Omitting this clause will set the user's value of this attribute to be NOCREATEUSER.

`groupname`

  A name of a group into which to insert the user as a new member.

`abstime`

  The VALID UNTIL clause sets an absolute time after which the user's password is no longer valid. If this clause is omitted the login will be valid for all time.

### Outputs

`CREATE USER`

  Message returned if the command completes successfully.

## Description

CREATE USER will add a new user to an instance of Postgres. Refer to the administrator's guide for information about managing users and authentication. You must be a database superuser to use this command.

Use ALTER USER to change a user's password and privileges, and DROP USER to remove a user. Use ALTER GROUP to add or remove the user from other groups. Postgres comes with a script createuser which has the same functionality as this command (in fact, it calls this command) but can be run from the command shell.

## Usage

Create a user with no password:

    CREATE USER jonathan

Create a user with a password:

    CREATE USER davide WITH PASSWORD 'jw8s0F4'

Create a user with a password, whose account is valid until the end of 2001. Note that after one second has ticked in 2002, the account is not valid:

    CREATE USER miriam WITH PASSWORD 'jw8s0F4' VALID UNTIL 'Jan 1 2002'

Create an account where the user can create databases:

    CREATE USER manuel WITH PASSWORD 'jw8s0F4' CREATEDB

## Compatibility

### SQL92

There is no CREATE USER statement in SQL92.

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