How to install sqlite or postgresql on windows 8 for a ruby on rails setup?

Question

I've been trying to install a database as part of my ruby on rails setup. I'm running a 64 bit windows 8, a x64 based machine. My ruby version is 2.1.3p242, rails version is 4.0.0, sqlite3 version is 3.8.6 and postgresql version is 9.3 I first tried to install sqlite3 by following the steps given in this SO answer but I get this error

`require': Could not load 'active_record/connection_adapters/sqlite3_adapter'. Make sure that the adapter in config/database.yml is valid.

My database.yml has 'sqlite3' as the value for the adapter key for all three environments.
Next I try to installed postgresql which was installed properly. I fired up the pgadmin3 GUI and started the database server. But when I start the rails server. I get the following error

C:/Ruby21-x64/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/pg-0.17.1-x64-mingw32/lib/pg.rb:10:in `re
quire': cannot load such file -- 2.1/pg_ext (LoadError)

Thanks.

Answer 1

You need to use the pre release of pg.

1. Install

   gem install pg -v 0.18.0.pre20141117110243 --pre
   

2. Add to your Gem file

   gem 'pg', '~> 0.18.0.pre20141117110243'
   

3. Update with Bundle

   bundle update
   

Answer 2

If you want to use PostgreSQL you'll need to do 2 things:

1. Install PostgreSQL on Windows using these instructions

2. Configure your rails project to use PostgreSQL this way:

rails new todo --database=postgresql

On the related note, if you want to do web development with Ruby on Rails, I recommend you to install Ruby, Gems, Git, Rails and IDE. All instructions are in the Start Programming Now book