# Connection URLs

Prisma ORM needs a connection URL to be able to connect to your database, e.g. when sending queries with [Prisma Client](/guides/prisma-client-v6-setup-and-configuration-introduction) or when changing the database schema with [Prisma Migrate](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-getting-started).

The connection URL is provided via the `url` field of a `datasource` block in your Prisma config (or Prisma schema if on version 6). It usually consists of the following components (except for SQLite and [Prisma Postgres](/guides/introduction-2-postgres)):

- **User**: The name of your database user
- **Password**: The password for your database user
- **Host**: The IP or domain name of the machine where your database server is running
- **Port**: The port on which your database server is running
- **Database name**: The name of the database you want to use

Make sure you have this information at hand when getting started with Prisma ORM. If you don't have a database server running yet, you can either use a local SQLite database file (see the [Quickstart](/guides/prisma-orm-2-v7-prisma-orm-quickstart-sqlite)) or [setup a free PostgreSQL database with Prisma Postgres](/guides/introduction-2-postgres).

## [Format](#format)

The format of the connection URL depends on the _database connector_ you're using. Prisma ORM generally supports the standard formats for each database. You can find out more about the connection URL of your database on the dedicated docs page:

- [PostgreSQL](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-postgresql)
- [MySQL](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-mysql)
- [SQLite](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-sqlite)
- [MongoDB](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-mongodb)
- [Microsoft SQL Server](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-sql-server)
- [CockroachDB](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-cockroachdb)

### [Special characters](#special-characters)

For MySQL, PostgreSQL and CockroachDB you must [percentage-encode special characters](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Glossary/Percent-encoding) in any part of your connection URL - including passwords. For example, `p@$$w0rd` becomes `p%40%24%24w0rd`.

For Microsoft SQL Server, you must [escape special characters](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-sql-server#connection-details) in any part of your connection string.

## [Examples](#examples)

Here are examples for the connection URLs of the databases Prisma ORM supports:

### [Prisma Postgres](#prisma-postgres)

[Prisma Postgres](/guides/introduction-2-postgres) is a managed PostgreSQL service running on unikernels. There are several ways to connect to Prisma Postgres:

- via direct TCP connections (lets you connect via any ORM or database tool)
- via pooled TCP connections (recommended for serverless and high-concurrency workloads)
- via the hosted [Prisma Accelerate](/guides/introduction-accelerate) connection (retiring December 1, 2026)
- locally

The connection string formats of these are covered below.

#### [Direct TCP](#direct-tcp)

When you connect to Prisma Postgres via direct TCP, your connection string looks as follows:

```
DATABASE_URL="postgres://USER:PASSWORD@db.prisma.io:5432/postgres?sslmode=require"
```

The `USER` and `PASSWORD` values are provided when you generate credentials for your Prisma Postgres instance in the [Prisma Console](https://console.prisma.io/?utm_source=docs-v6\&utm_medium=content\&utm_content=orm).

#### [Pooled TCP](#pooled-tcp)

When you connect to Prisma Postgres via pooled TCP, your connection string looks as follows:

```title=".env"
DATABASE_URL="postgres://USER:PASSWORD@pooled.db.prisma.io:5432/?sslmode=require"
```

Use a pooled TCP connection string for serverless, bursty, or high-concurrency workloads. Learn more in [Connection pooling](/guides/database-connection-pooling).

#### [Via Prisma Accelerate (HTTP, retiring)](#via-prisma-accelerate-http-retiring)

:::callout{intent="warning"}
Hosted Accelerate connection retirement

The hosted `prisma+postgres://accelerate.prisma-data.net` connection ends on December 1, 2026. Existing Prisma Postgres customers should [switch to pooled TCP or the Prisma Postgres serverless driver](/guides/migrating-off-accelerate-postgres-database-switch-from-accelerate).

This does not affect Local Postgres `prisma+postgres://localhost` URLs.
:::

When connecting via Prisma Accelerate, the connection string doesn't require a user/password like a conventional connection string does. Instead, authentication works via an API key:

::::tabs
:::tab{title="Prisma 7"}
```title="prisma.config.ts"
export default defineConfig({

  datasource: {

    url: "prisma+postgres://accelerate.prisma-data.net/?api_key=API_KEY"

  },

});
```
:::

:::tab{title="Prisma 6"}
```prisma title="schema.prisma" 
datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
  url      = "prisma+postgres://accelerate.prisma-data.net/?api_key=API_KEY"
} 
```

In this snippet, `API_KEY` is a placeholder for the API key generated by the [Prisma Console](https://console.prisma.io/?utm_source=docs-v6\&utm_medium=content\&utm_content=orm).
:::
::::

In this snippet, `API_KEY` is a placeholder for the API key generated by the [Prisma Console](https://console.prisma.io/?utm_source=docs-v6\&utm_medium=content\&utm_content=orm).

#### [Local Prisma Postgres](#local-prisma-postgres)

The connection string for connecting to a [local Prisma Postgres](/guides/local-development-2-postgres) instance mirrors the structure of a remote instance via Accelerate:

::::tabs
:::tab{title="Prisma 7"}
```title="prisma.config.ts"
export default defineConfig({

  datasource: {

    url: "prisma+postgres://localhost:51213/?api_key=__API_KEY__"

  },

});
```
:::

:::tab{title="Prisma 6"}
```prisma title="schema.prisma" 
datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
  url      = "prisma+postgres://localhost:51213/?api_key=__API_KEY__"
} 
```

However, in this case the `API_KEY` doesn't provide authentication details. Instead, it encodes information about the local Prisma Postgres instance. You can obtain a local connection string via the [`prisma dev`](/guides/reference-6-v6-reference-prisma-cli-reference#dev) command.
:::
::::

However, in this case the `API_KEY` doesn't provide authentication details. Instead, it encodes information about the local Prisma Postgres instance. You can obtain a local connection string via the [`prisma dev`](/guides/reference-6-v6-reference-prisma-cli-reference#dev) command.

### [PostgreSQL](#postgresql)

:::code-group
```title="Prisma 7"
export default defineConfig({

  datasource: {

    url: "postgresql://janedoe:mypassword@localhost:5432/mydb?schema=sample"

  },

});
```

```prisma title="Prisma 6"
datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
  url      = "postgresql://janedoe:mypassword@localhost:5432/mydb?schema=sample"
}
```
:::

### [MySQL](#mysql)

:::code-group
```title="Prisma 7"
export default defineConfig({

  datasource: {

    url: "mysql://janedoe:mypassword@localhost:3306/mydb"

  },

});
```

```prisma title="Prisma 6"
datasource db {
  provider = "mysql"
  url      = "mysql://janedoe:mypassword@localhost:3306/mydb"
}
```
:::

### [Microsoft SQL Server](#microsoft-sql-server)

:::code-group
```title="Prisma 7"
export default defineConfig({

  datasource: {

    url: "sqlserver://localhost:1433;initial catalog=sample;user=sa;password=mypassword;"

  },

});
```

```prisma title="Prisma 6"
datasource db {
  provider = "sqlserver"
  url      = "sqlserver://localhost:1433;initial catalog=sample;user=sa;password=mypassword;"
}
```
:::

### [SQLite](#sqlite)

:::code-group
```title="Prisma 7"
export default defineConfig({

  datasource: {

    url: "file:./dev.db"

  },

});
```

```prisma title="Prisma 6"
datasource db {
  provider = "sqlite"
  url      = "file:./dev.db"
}
```
:::

### [CockroachDB](#cockroachdb)

:::code-group
```title="Prisma 7"
export default defineConfig({

  datasource: {

    url: "postgresql://janedoe:mypassword@localhost:26257/mydb?schema=public"

  },

});
```

```prisma title="Prisma 6"
datasource db {
  provider = "cockroachdb"
  url      = "postgresql://janedoe:mypassword@localhost:26257/mydb?schema=public"
}
```
:::

### [MongoDB](#mongodb)

_Support for MongoDB is limited to Prisma 6. We're working on support for MongoDB in Prisma 7_

```title="schema.prisma"
datasource db {

  provider = "mongodb"

  url      = "mongodb+srv://root:<password>@cluster0.ab1cd.mongodb.net/myDatabase?retryWrites=true&w=majority"

}
```

## [.env](#env)

You can also provide the connection URL as an environment variable:

```title="schema.prisma"
datasource db {

  provider = "postgresql"

}
```

You can then either set the environment variable in your terminal or by providing a [dotenv](https://github.com/motdotla/dotenv) file named `.env`. This will automatically be picked up by the Prisma CLI.

Prisma ORM reads the connection URL from the dotenv file in the following situations:

- When it updates the schema during build time
- When it connects to the database during run time

```
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://janedoe:mypassword@localhost:5432/mydb
```

## Related pages

- [Authentication & Tools](./authentication-tools-index.md)
- [Build](./build-index.md)
- [Changelog](../changelog.md)
- [Concepts](./concepts-index.md)
- [Console commands](./console-commands-index.md)
- [Contract Authoring](./contract-authoring-index.md)
- [Core Concepts](./core-concepts-index.md)
- [Data Modeling](./data-modeling-index.md)
- [Database](./database-index.md)
- [DB commands](./db-commands-index.md)

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