how do i seed my database
I've exposed my database on port 5432, i've also set the DATABASE_URL in the env.server file. Running wasp db seed returns this error: ❌ --- [Error] Can not connect to database: ---------------------------------------
The database needs to be running in order to execute this command. You can easily start a managed dev database with
wasp start db.9 Replies
Hi @Captain Incredible. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave:
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To seed your database with Wasp, you need to ensure that:
1. Your database is running and accessible on port 5432.
2. The DATABASE_URL in your .env.server file is correctly set to point to your running database.
3. No other process is occupying port 5432 (for example, another local database or a Docker container).
The error message you’re seeing—❌ --- [Error] Can not connect to database: ---—means Wasp cannot reach your database. Here are the steps to troubleshoot and proceed:
1. Verify the Database is Running
- Make sure your database server is actually running and listening on port 5432.
- If you’re using Docker, ensure the container is up and not stopped or paused.
- You can test connectivity using a tool like
psql or another database client with the same connection string as in your DATABASE_URL.
2. Check the DATABASE_URL
- Your .env.server file should contain a line like:
- Double-check that the credentials, host, port, and database name are correct and match your running database instance.
3. Ensure No Port Conflicts
- If you previously started a dev database with wasp start db, make sure it’s stopped, as it might be occupying port 5432 and blocking your connection to the intended database.
4. Run the Seed Command
Once the above are confirmed, run:
If you have multiple seed functions, you can specify one directly:
Replace <seed-name> with the name of your seed function as defined in your Wasp project configuration. More details on this can be found in the Wasp documentation.
Additional Troubleshooting
- If you see the error about not being able to connect, it usually means the database is not running or the connection details are incorrect. Wasp expects the database to be available at the address specified in DATABASE_URL, and the port must be open and not blocked by firewalls or other processes.
- If you’re using Docker, ensure Docker is running and accessible, as Wasp relies on it for managed dev databases. If Docker isn’t running, you’ll see errors about not being able to connect to the Docker daemon or the database itself Docs: Connecting to a Database.
If you follow these steps and still encounter issues, please provide the exact DATABASE_URL you’re using (with sensitive info redacted) and details about how your database is being run (Docker, local install, etc.), so further help can be provided.
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Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
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Sorry @Captain Incredible, I seem to be having a bit of trouble. Don't worry though, I've pinged my support and they will try to fix me up! :technologist:
Perhaps try again in 15mins?@kapa.ai it needs the db password and username, where is it going to get that?
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
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Wasp gets the database username and password from the DATABASE_URL environment variable that you set in your .env.server file. You are responsible for providing the correct username and password in this URL. For example:
Wasp does not generate or manage these credentials for you. You need to know the username and password for your database and include them in the DATABASE_URL. If you are running your own Postgres instance (locally or via Docker), you set these credentials when you create the database. If you are using a managed database (e.g., on Fly.io), you can retrieve the credentials from your database provider—on Fly, for example, you can get the password by running:
and the database name by connecting and running
\l in the psql shell. You then use these values to construct your DATABASE_URL in .env.server, as described in the Wasp documentation and related issues and GitHub discussions.
Wasp will use whatever credentials you provide in the DATABASE_URL to connect to your database. If the credentials are incorrect or missing, you will get a connection error.
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Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
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Sorry @Captain Incredible, I seem to be having a bit of trouble. Don't worry though, I've pinged my support and they will try to fix me up! :technologist:
Perhaps try again in 15mins?@kapa.ai oh thats right. Well, it looks like wasp is verifying that the service is running locally somewhere before performing a seed operation
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
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Yes, that's correct—Wasp verifies that it can connect to the database service specified in your DATABASE_URL before performing a seed operation. If the database is not running or is inaccessible at the address and port you provided, Wasp will return an error and will not proceed with seeding. This is confirmed by both the error messages and the documentation, which state that the database must be running and accessible for commands like wasp db seed to work. Wasp does not manage the database process itself (unless you use wasp start db for a dev database); it simply tries to connect using the credentials and address you provide in your environment configuration Docs: Connecting to a Database.
If you are running a remote or Dockerized database, make sure it is accessible from your local machine and that the credentials in your .env.server file are correct. If the service is not running or the connection details are wrong, Wasp will not be able to perform the seed operation and will show a connection error Discord support thread.
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Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
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Sorry @Captain Incredible, I seem to be having a bit of trouble. Don't worry though, I've pinged my support and they will try to fix me up! :technologist:
Perhaps try again in 15mins?
@kapa.ai i'll try opening that port in my firewall
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
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Opening the port in your firewall is a good step if your database is running on a different machine or in a container and you need to allow external connections. Wasp requires that the database is accessible at the address and port specified in your DATABASE_URL for operations like seeding to work. If the port is blocked by a firewall, Wasp will not be able to connect and you'll see connection errors like the one you described Docs: Connecting to a Database.
If your database is running locally and Wasp is also running locally, firewall issues are less common, but if you are running the database in a VM, Docker container, or on a remote server, ensuring the port (default 5432 for Postgres) is open is essential.
If you continue to have issues after opening the port, double-check that the database is running, the credentials in your DATABASE_URL are correct, and that no other process is occupying the port.
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Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
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Sorry @Captain Incredible, I seem to be having a bit of trouble. Don't worry though, I've pinged my support and they will try to fix me up! :technologist:
Perhaps try again in 15mins?
Hey @Captain Incredible,
You are running the database on a separate server right?
The Wasp commands should also work with non-local databases as far as I know.
Internally, we call the
prisma commands to test if the database is available.
Did you make sure you can connect to the database from outside with any other tool?
For the firewall, only place you would need to change it is on the VPS server if you are using one.
If so, if you want to access your database from outside of the VPS, you would need to enable the database port through the firewall.@franjo yup. Everything worked like a charm. Thanks for helping!