Q:

Can I install pg_dump without installing postgres on Alpine?

I have tried to install pg_dump as part of installation of postgres-client, however it does not include pg_dump.
Can pg_dump be installed without a full installation of postgres on Alpine Linux?

A:

No - to install pg_dump and associated utilities, you'll need to run apk add postgresql, which will install the full PostgreSQL suite.
The installed size is currently 12.1mb (for v9.6.0-r1) vs just 451kb for postgresql-client, so it's definitely bigger. If you're using Alpine in Docker, that might not be a big deal. If you're using it in an embedded device where size matters, you could simply copy over pg_dump or whatever else you need.

