# Connection https://docs.serverpod.dev/next/concepts/data-and-the-database/database/connection The connection details and password for the database live in the `config` directory of your server package, and Serverpod connects using them when the server starts. For local development, no setup is needed by default: the server runs an [embedded PostgreSQL](https://docs.serverpod.dev/next/concepts/data-and-the-database/database/embedded-postgres.md) and manages it for you. This page is for connecting to a database you run yourself: a local or Docker Postgres, a remote server, or a managed instance such as Cloud SQL or RDS. ## Connection details Each environment configuration contains a `database` keyword that specifies the connection details. For your development build you can find the connection details in the `config/development.yaml` file. ```yaml ... database: host: localhost port: 8090 name: user: postgres ... ``` The `name` refers to the database name, `host` is the domain name or IP address pointing to your Postgres instance, `port` is the port that Postgres is listening to, and `user` is the username that is used to connect to the database. :::caution By default, Postgres listens on port 5432. Serverpod's development setups use port 8090 to avoid conflicts. If you host your own instance, double-check that the correct port is specified in your configuration files. ::: SQLite projects need no connection details beyond a file path, and no password; see [Database backends](https://docs.serverpod.dev/next/concepts/server-fundamentals/configuration.md#database-backends) for choosing and configuring a backend. ### Configure search paths If using Postgres, you can customize the search paths for your database connection, which helps when you work with multiple schemas. By default, Postgres uses the `public` schema unless otherwise specified. To override this, use the optional `searchPaths` setting in your configuration: ```yaml ... database: host: localhost port: 8090 name: user: postgres searchPaths: custom, public ... ``` In this example, Postgres looks for tables in the `custom` schema first, and falls back to `public` if needed. :::tip It is also possible to set the search paths using [runtime parameters](https://docs.serverpod.dev/next/concepts/data-and-the-database/database/runtime-parameters.md) directly on the server startup (or on a specific transaction). If the paths are set on both the configuration file and as runtime parameters, the runtime parameters take precedence. ::: ### Configure connection pool size By default, Serverpod uses a connection pool with a maximum of 10 connections to the database. You can customize this limit using the `maxConnectionCount` setting: ```yaml ... database: host: localhost port: 8090 name: user: postgres maxConnectionCount: 20 ... ``` To allow unlimited connections, set `maxConnectionCount` to `0` or a negative value. You can also configure this setting via the environment variable `SERVERPOD_DATABASE_MAX_CONNECTION_COUNT`. On SQLite, this setting controls the number of read-only transactions that can run concurrently. Only one write transaction can run at a time. ## Database password The database password is stored in a separate file called `passwords.yaml` in the same `config` directory. The password for each environment is stored under the `database` keyword in the file. ```yaml ... development: database: '' ... ``` ## The development database By default, the development database is an [embedded PostgreSQL](https://docs.serverpod.dev/next/concepts/data-and-the-database/database/embedded-postgres.md), started and stopped with the server; see [Running your server](https://docs.serverpod.dev/next/concepts/server-fundamentals/running-your-server.md). Nothing on this page is needed for it. Projects set up with the Docker alternative instead run their development database from the server package's `docker-compose.yaml`. To use it in a project configured for the embedded PostgreSQL, first remove `dataPath` from the run mode's configuration. Start the database from the root of the `server` package: ```bash $ docker compose up --build --detach ``` To stop the database run: ```bash $ docker compose stop ``` To remove the database and **delete** all associated data, run: ```bash $ docker compose down -v ``` ## Connect to a custom Postgres instance You can connect to any Postgres instance you run or rent. There are a few things to take into consideration: - Make sure that your Postgres instance is up and running and is reachable from your Serverpod server. - You will need to create a user with a password, and a database. ### Connect to a local Postgres server If you want to connect to a local Postgres server (with the default setup), the `development.yaml` works fine if you set the correct port, user, and database, and update the password in the `passwords.yaml` file. ### Connect to a remote Postgres server To connect to a remote Postgres server (that you have installed on a VPS or VDS), you need to follow a couple of steps: - Make sure that the Postgres server has a reachable network address and that it accepts incoming traffic. - You may need to open the database port on the machine. This may include configuring its firewall. - Update your Serverpod `database` config to use the public network address, database name, port, user, and password. ### Connect to Google Cloud SQL You can connect to a Google Cloud SQL Postgres instance in two ways: 1. Setting up the *Public IP Authorized networks* (with your Serverpod server IP) and changing the database host string to the *Cloud SQL public IP*. 2. Using the *Connection String* if you are hosting your Serverpod server on Google Cloud Run and changing the database host string to the Cloud SQL: `/cloudsql/my-project:server-location:database-name/.s.PGSQL.5432`. The next step is to update the database password in `passwords.yaml` and the connection details for the desired environment in the `config` folder. :::info If you are using the `isUnixSocket` don't forget to add **"/.s.PGSQL.5432"** to the end of the `host` IP address. Otherwise, your Google Cloud Run instance will not be able to connect to the database. ::: ### Connect to AWS RDS You can connect to an AWS RDS Instance in two ways: 1. Enable public access to the database and configure VPC/Subnets to accept your Serverpod's IP address. 2. Use the Endpoint `database-name.some-unique-id.server-location.rds.amazonaws.com` to connect to it from AWS ECS. The next step is to update the database password in `passwords.yaml` and the connection details for the desired environment in the `config` folder.