Creating a Python PostgreSQL connection for absolute beginners

How your Python script can communicate with your Postgres database

Postgres has arrived (image by April Pethybridge on Unsplash)

Having Python connect to your database and exchanging information is a very basic skill but creating the actual connection might be a bit weird at first. In this article we’ll check out how to create and use a connection in an efficient an safe way. We’ll use a package called psycopg2 and demonstrate how to interact with your database in some practical examples. Let’s code!

Before we begin..

Want to connect to a database that is not PostgreSQL? Check out the article below.

How to make a database connection in Python for absolute beginners

Generating SQL queries

This article focusses on creating a connection with a database using pyodbc. This connection can then be used to execute SQL. Some databases use other syntax than others:

• MS SQL Server
  SELECT TOP 1 colname FROM tablename LIMIT 10
• PostgreSQL
  SELECT colname FROM tablename LIMIT 10.