Binions needs you to provide just one external data store — PostgreSQL — and only if you run the database daemon. Everything else it relies on comes bundled. In particular, Redis is built in: each daemon ships and configures its own private Redis instance, so there is nothing for you to install or wire up.
Short version. Set up PostgreSQL only when you run
binions-database(or anything that stores structured data in SQL). For every other daemon — webhooks, mail, files, AI — you do not need a database at all.
Binions uses Redis internally as its fast event store, but you never set it up yourself. Each daemon brings its own private Redis instance, installed and configured automatically by that daemon’s package:
redis-binions-<service> — for example redis-binions-logger alongside the logger daemon.# Enabling a daemon also enables its bundled Redis instance
sudo systemctl enable --now binions-logger redis-binions-loggerTip. Do not install or point Binions at your own shared Redis server. The per-daemon instances are part of how the platform isolates and secures each service, and they are managed entirely by the packages.
PostgreSQL is the one data store you provide, and only when you run a capability that persists to SQL — chiefly the database daemon, binions-database. If you run that daemon, install PostgreSQL before enabling it, then create a database and a user for Binions to connect with.
| Who needs it | The binions-database daemon, and anything that stores structured data in SQL |
| Version | PostgreSQL 12 or newer; the platform is built and tested against PostgreSQL 16 (recommended) |
| You provide | A running PostgreSQL server, plus a database and a user for Binions |
| Where credentials go | The daemon’s configuration file (application.toml) |
Install the PostgreSQL server package the usual way for your distribution:
sudo apt install postgresqlThen create a dedicated database and user. The commands below are illustrative — keep the names and password as placeholders and choose your own:
# Illustrative only — replace the database name, user, and password
sudo -u postgres psql <<'SQL'
CREATE USER binions WITH PASSWORD 'change-me';
CREATE DATABASE binions OWNER binions;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE binions TO binions;
SQLThese create-database commands are illustrative. Exact roles, privileges, and authentication depend on your PostgreSQL setup and security policy — treat the snippet above as a starting point, not a pinned recipe. Always use a strong, unique password.
Finally, put the connection details (host, port, database name, user, and password) into the database daemon’s configuration so it can reach your PostgreSQL server. See Daemon configuration for where these settings live in application.toml.
For most automation work, no. PostgreSQL is only in the picture when you store structured data with the SQL daemon:
| What you’re doing | PostgreSQL needed? |
|---|---|
| Just automating — webhooks, email, file transfers, AI steps, scheduled jobs | No — nothing to provide; Redis is bundled |
Storing structured data with the binions-database daemon | Yes — provide PostgreSQL 12+ (16 recommended) |
If you are unsure, you can start without PostgreSQL and add it later, when you decide to enable the database daemon.
PostgreSQL is only required for the default backend. The database daemon can also talk to four other engines, chosen per operation with a backend: field — nothing extra to install unless you use them:
backend: sqlite + path:) — serverless, zero installs; files live under the daemon's var/sqlite/ directory.backend: mysql|mongo|mssql + dsn:) — point the DSN at your existing server; the platform does not install or manage it.When you do run PostgreSQL for Binions, it starts small and grows only with how much data you choose to store: