Installation on MacOS, Linux and Windows

Installing Firebird

This guide covers installing Firebird 4.0 (the latest stable version) on various operating systems. Firebird offers different server architectures, so choose the one that best fits your needs.

Server Architecture Options

Before installing, understand the available architectures:

SuperServer: Best for many concurrent users with shared cache
Classic: Process-per-connection model, good for few heavy users
SuperClassic: Hybrid approach with thread-per-connection
Embedded: In-process, serverless deployment

Installation on Windows

Using the Installer (Recommended)

Download the latest Firebird 4.0 installer from firebirdsql.org
- Choose 64-bit or 32-bit based on your system
- File format: Firebird-4.0.x.xxxxx-0_x64.exe
Run the installer as Administrator:
- Right-click the installer → "Run as administrator"
Follow the installation wizard:
- Accept the license agreement
- Choose installation directory (default: C:\Program Files\Firebird\Firebird_4_0)
- Select components (Server, Client, Developer files)
- Choose server architecture (SuperServer recommended for most users)
- Set the SYSDBA password (remember this!)
- Choose to run as a service (recommended)

Verify installation:

cd "C:\Program Files\Firebird\Firebird_4_0\bin"
isql -user SYSDBA -password yourpassword
SQL> CREATE DATABASE 'C:\temp\test.fdb';
SQL> QUIT;

Using ZIP Archive

Download the ZIP archive from the official website
Extract to your desired location
Run install_service.bat as Administrator
Configure firebird.conf as needed

Installation on Linux

Ubuntu/Debian (Using APT)

# Update package list
sudo apt update

# Install Firebird 4.0
sudo apt install firebird3.0-server

# Note: Package name may still be firebird3.0 in some repositories
# For latest version, use official packages

Using Official Packages (Recommended)

Download the appropriate package:

# For Ubuntu/Debian (64-bit)
wget https://github.com/FirebirdSQL/firebird/releases/download/v4.0.2/Firebird-4.0.2.2816-0.amd64.tar.gz

# Extract the archive
tar -xzf Firebird-4.0.2.2816-0.amd64.tar.gz
cd Firebird-4.0.2.2816-0.amd64

Run the installation script:
```
sudo ./install.sh
```
During installation:
- Press Enter to start installation
- Enter new SYSDBA password when prompted
- Choose to start Firebird at boot (recommended)

Verify installation:

# Check service status
sudo systemctl status firebird-superserver

# Test connection
/opt/firebird/bin/isql -user SYSDBA -password yourpassword
SQL> CREATE DATABASE '/tmp/test.fdb';
SQL> QUIT;

CentOS/RHEL/Fedora

# Download RPM package
wget https://github.com/FirebirdSQL/firebird/releases/download/v4.0.2/Firebird-4.0.2.2816-0.x86_64.rpm

# Install
sudo rpm -ivh Firebird-4.0.2.2816-0.x86_64.rpm

# Or using yum/dnf
sudo yum localinstall Firebird-4.0.2.2816-0.x86_64.rpm

Installation on macOS

Using Homebrew

# Install Homebrew if not already installed
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Install Firebird
brew install firebird

# Start Firebird service
brew services start firebird

# Verify installation
isql -user SYSDBA -password masterkey

Manual Installation

Download the macOS package from firebirdsql.org
Open the .pkg file and follow the installer

Add Firebird to your PATH:

echo 'export PATH="/Library/Frameworks/Firebird.framework/Resources/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

Post-Installation Configuration

1. Change SYSDBA Password

# Connect to security database
isql -user SYSDBA -password masterkey

# Change password
SQL> ALTER USER SYSDBA SET PASSWORD 'NewSecurePassword';
SQL> QUIT;

2. Configure firebird.conf

Location varies by platform:

Windows: C:\Program Files\Firebird\Firebird_4_0\firebird.conf
Linux: /opt/firebird/firebird.conf
macOS: /Library/Frameworks/Firebird.framework/Resources/firebird.conf

Common settings to adjust:

# Database location restrictions
DatabaseAccess = Full

# Default database location
DefaultDbCachePages = 4096

# Network settings
RemoteServicePort = 3050

# Authentication
AuthServer = Srp256, Win_Sspi, Legacy_Auth
AuthClient = Srp256, Win_Sspi, Legacy_Auth

# Wire encryption
WireCrypt = Enabled

3. Create Your First Database

# Using isql
isql -user SYSDBA -password yourpassword

SQL> CREATE DATABASE 'localhost:/var/firebird/mydatabase.fdb'
CON> USER 'SYSDBA' PASSWORD 'yourpassword'
CON> PAGE_SIZE 16384
CON> DEFAULT CHARACTER SET UTF8;

SQL> QUIT;

Installing GUI Tools

FlameRobin (Cross-platform)

Download from flamerobin.org
Install for your platform
Create a new server registration:
- Server: localhost
- Port: 3050
- Username: SYSDBA
- Password: your password

DBeaver (Universal Database Tool)

Download from dbeaver.io
Install Firebird driver when prompted
Create new connection with Firebird type

Verifying Installation

Test your installation with these commands:

# Check Firebird version
fbsvcmgr localhost:service_mgr user SYSDBA password yourpassword info_server_version

# Check server status
fbsvcmgr localhost:service_mgr user SYSDBA password yourpassword info_svr_db_info

# Create and connect to a test database
isql -user SYSDBA -password yourpassword
SQL> CREATE DATABASE 'test.fdb';
SQL> CONNECT 'test.fdb';
SQL> CREATE TABLE test_table (id INTEGER, name VARCHAR(50));
SQL> INSERT INTO test_table VALUES (1, 'Test');
SQL> SELECT * FROM test_table;
SQL> DROP DATABASE;
SQL> QUIT;

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Port 3050 already in use
- Check if another Firebird instance is running
- Change port in firebird.conf
Authentication errors
- Ensure correct SYSDBA password
- Check AuthServer/AuthClient settings
- For legacy applications, enable Legacy_Auth
Cannot create database
- Check file permissions
- Verify DatabaseAccess setting
- Ensure sufficient disk space
Service won't start
- Check firebird.log for errors
- Verify no other instances running
- Check file permissions on Firebird directory

Next Steps

Now that Firebird is installed:

Learn basic SQL commands
Create your first database
Explore Firebird's unique features
Set up regular backups with gbak