db error
im getting this error when running wasp db migrate-dev ❌ --- [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. theres another terminal window where the db is ready to accept connections but wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start doesnt work. Whats causing this?15 Replies
Hi @Bruno Njeru. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave:
----------------------
The error message ❌ --- [Error] Can not connect to database: --------------------------------------- means that Wasp cannot connect to your database, even though you have a terminal where the database says it is "ready to accept connections." This is a common issue and can be caused by several factors:
1. Port Conflict or Wrong Port: By default, Wasp expects the database to be running on port 5432. If another process is using this port, or if your database is running on a different port, Wasp won't be able to connect. Make sure your database is running on port 5432, or set the correct port in your
DATABASE_URL environment variable. Wasp currently does not automatically try other ports unless configured to do so, and port conflicts are a known issue Fix database initialization, Allow choosing another port.
2. Incorrect DATABASE_URL: Double-check your .env.server or .env file to ensure the DATABASE_URL is correct and matches your running database instance. For example:
Any typo or mismatch in username, password, host, port, or database name will cause connection issues Connecting to a Database.
3. Docker Not Running or Not Accessible: If you are using Docker to run your database, ensure Docker is running and accessible. If Docker is not running, Wasp will not be able to start or connect to the dev database Have wasp start db produce nice warning if docker is not running.
4. Multiple Terminals and Process State: If you start the database in one terminal, you must leave that terminal open and running. Run wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start in a separate terminal window. Closing the terminal running the database will stop the database process Discord support thread.
5. Database Initialization Issues: There have been regressions where Wasp does not create the database if it doesn't exist, and instead just fails to connect. In such cases, you may need to manually create the database or ensure your database container is properly initialized Fix database initialization.
Summary of what to check:
- Ensure your database is running on the expected port (default 5432).
- Verify your DATABASE_URL is correct.
- Make sure Docker is running if you use it.
- Keep the terminal running the database open, and use a separate terminal for Wasp commands.
- If the database does not exist, create it manually or check your Docker/Postgres setup.
If you have checked all of the above and still have issues, please provide the exact DATABASE_URL you are using and any relevant logs or error messages.
----------------------
Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
----------------------
Sorry @Bruno Njeru, 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?wasp says # If you use
wasp start db then you DO NOT need to add a DATABASE_URL env variable here. @kapa.aiLet me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
----------------------
Yes, that is correct: if you use wasp start db to launch the managed development database, you do not need to manually set the DATABASE_URL environment variable. Wasp will automatically set up the connection for you, and your app will connect to the dev database without requiring you to define DATABASE_URL in your .env.server file or elsewhere.
This is confirmed in the official Wasp documentation:
The command wasp start db will start a default PostgreSQL dev database for you. Your Wasp app will automatically connect to it, just keep wasp start db running in the background.So, only set DATABASE_URL if you are connecting to your own database instance. If you are using wasp start db, Wasp handles the connection details for you. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ---------------------- Sorry @Bruno Njeru, 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?
...
If you want to spin up your own dev database (or connect to an external one), you can tell Wasp about it using the DATABASE_URL environment variable.
...
The easiest way to set the necessary DATABASE_URL environment variable is by adding it to the .env.server file in the root dir of your Wasp project (if that file doesn't yet exist, create it).
Connecting to a Database
so whats causing wasp not to connect to the db @kapa.ai
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
----------------------
Based on the knowledge sources, the most common reasons Wasp cannot connect to the database, even when you see "ready to accept connections" in your database terminal, are:
1. Database Not Running on Expected Port or Host
Wasp expects the dev database to be running on localhost:5432 by default. If your database is running on a different port or bound to a different interface, Wasp won't be able to connect. Make sure nothing else is using port 5432 and that your database is actually listening on that port and on localhost. This is a frequent cause of the error you are seeing, as described in user reports and issues (Realworld app returning Network Error). 2. Docker Not Running (if using wasp start db)
If you use wasp start db, Wasp relies on Docker to run the dev database. If Docker is not running or not accessible, Wasp will fail to start or connect to the database. The error message may not always make this clear, but it's a known issue (Have wasp start db produce nice warning if docker is not running). 3. Multiple Terminals: Process State
You must keep the terminal running wasp start db open and running. If you close it, the database stops. You should run wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start in a separate terminal window (Discord support thread). 4. Port Already in Use
If port 5432 is already in use by another process, Wasp's managed dev database won't be able to start, or your app won't be able to connect to it (Allow choosing another port). 5. Database Initialization Issues
There have been regressions where Wasp does not create the database if it doesn't exist, and instead just fails to connect (Fix database initialization). 6. IPv4/IPv6 Issues
Some users have reported issues where the database is accessible via 127.0.0.1 but not localhost, due to IPv4/IPv6 binding differences. If you suspect this, try changing localhost to 127.0.0.1 in your connection settings (Discord support thread). Summary:
The most likely causes are:
- The database is not running on the expected port/interface.
- Docker is not running (if using wasp start db).
- The database process was stopped (terminal closed).
- Port 5432 is already in use.
- IPv4/IPv6 binding issues. If you have checked all of these and the problem persists, please provide more details about your setup (OS, how you started the DB, any custom settings, etc.) so the issue can be diagnosed further. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ---------------------- Sorry @Bruno Njeru, 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?
Wasp expects the dev database to be running on localhost:5432 by default. If your database is running on a different port or bound to a different interface, Wasp won't be able to connect. Make sure nothing else is using port 5432 and that your database is actually listening on that port and on localhost. This is a frequent cause of the error you are seeing, as described in user reports and issues (Realworld app returning Network Error). 2. Docker Not Running (if using wasp start db)
If you use wasp start db, Wasp relies on Docker to run the dev database. If Docker is not running or not accessible, Wasp will fail to start or connect to the database. The error message may not always make this clear, but it's a known issue (Have wasp start db produce nice warning if docker is not running). 3. Multiple Terminals: Process State
You must keep the terminal running wasp start db open and running. If you close it, the database stops. You should run wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start in a separate terminal window (Discord support thread). 4. Port Already in Use
If port 5432 is already in use by another process, Wasp's managed dev database won't be able to start, or your app won't be able to connect to it (Allow choosing another port). 5. Database Initialization Issues
There have been regressions where Wasp does not create the database if it doesn't exist, and instead just fails to connect (Fix database initialization). 6. IPv4/IPv6 Issues
Some users have reported issues where the database is accessible via 127.0.0.1 but not localhost, due to IPv4/IPv6 binding differences. If you suspect this, try changing localhost to 127.0.0.1 in your connection settings (Discord support thread). Summary:
The most likely causes are:
- The database is not running on the expected port/interface.
- Docker is not running (if using wasp start db).
- The database process was stopped (terminal closed).
- Port 5432 is already in use.
- IPv4/IPv6 binding issues. If you have checked all of these and the problem persists, please provide more details about your setup (OS, how you started the DB, any custom settings, etc.) so the issue can be diagnosed further. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ---------------------- Sorry @Bruno Njeru, 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?
docker is working but not wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start Additional info:
ℹ Connection URL, in case you might want to connect with external tools:
postgresql://postgresWaspDevUser:postgresWaspDevPass@localhost:5432/envelopeBudgeter-53fb2144eb
ℹ Database data is persisted in a docker volume with the following name (useful to know if you will want to delete it at some point):
wasp-dev-db-envelopeBudgeter-53fb2144eb
...
PostgreSQL Database directory appears to contain a database; Skipping initialization
2025-09-02 13:48:45.270 UTC [1] LOG: starting PostgreSQL 17.6 (Debian 17.6-1.pgdg13+1) on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by gcc (Debian 14.2.0-19) 14.2.0, 64-bit
2025-09-02 13:48:45.273 UTC [1] LOG: listening on IPv4 address "0.0.0.0", port 5432
2025-09-02 13:48:45.273 UTC [1] LOG: listening on IPv6 address "::", port 5432
2025-09-02 13:48:45.289 UTC [1] LOG: listening on Unix socket "/var/run/postgresql/.s.PGSQL.5432"
2025-09-02 13:48:45.313 UTC [30] LOG: database system was shut down at 2025-09-02 13:43:37 UTC
2025-09-02 13:48:45.346 UTC [1] LOG: database system is ready to accept connections
^C2025-09-02 13:51:04.724 UTC [1] LOG: received fast shutdown request
2025-09-02 13:51:04.734 UTC [1] LOG: aborting any active transactions
2025-09-02 13:51:04.757 UTC [1] LOG: background worker "logical replication launcher" (PID 33) exited with exit code 1
2025-09-02 13:51:04.759 UTC [28] LOG: shutting down
2025-09-02 13:51:04.769 UTC [28] LOG: checkpoint starting: shutdown immediate
2025-09-02 13:51:04.860 UTC [28] LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 3 buffers (0.0%); 0 WAL file(s) added, 0 removed, 0 recycled; write=0.030 s, sync=0.016 s, total=0.101 s; sync files=2, longest=0.009 s, average=0.008 s; distance=0 kB, estimate=0 kB; lsn=0/1978570, redo lsn=0/1978570 @kapa.ai
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
----------------------
Based on the information and logs you provided, your PostgreSQL database (started by Wasp via Docker) appears to be running and listening on port 5432, and is "ready to accept connections." However, Wasp commands like wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start are still unable to connect.
Here are the most likely causes, based on the knowledge sources:
1. Port 5432 Conflict or Already in Use
Even if the database says it is listening, another process (such as a native Postgres installation) could be using port 5432, or there could be a conflict. This is a common issue and can prevent Wasp from connecting, even if Docker's Postgres is running. You can check what is using port 5432 with a command like
Sometimes, "localhost" resolves to an IPv6 address (::1) instead of IPv4 (127.0.0.1), which can cause connection issues. Try changing "localhost" to "127.0.0.1" in your connection string. This has resolved similar issues for other users (Discord support thread). 3. Multiple Database Instances
If you have another Postgres instance running natively (not in Docker), it could be interfering with the Docker container. Make sure only one Postgres instance is running on port 5432 (Discord support thread). 4. Terminal Usage
Ensure you are running wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start in a separate terminal from the one running wasp start db, and that the database terminal remains open (Discord support thread). 5. Docker Permissions
If you previously had Docker permission issues, make sure your user has the correct permissions to interact with Docker (OpenSaaS installation docker and db issue). What you can try: - Check for port conflicts:
and stop any other processes using that port. - Try changing "localhost" to "127.0.0.1" in your connection string if you are overriding DATABASE_URL. - Make sure Docker is running and you have permissions. - Ensure only one Postgres instance is running on port 5432. If you are not setting DATABASE_URL manually, Wasp should handle the connection automatically when using wasp start db (Connecting to a Database). If you are still having issues after these checks, please provide any error output from wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start for further diagnosis. If none of these steps resolve the issue, the knowledge sources do not provide enough information to identify a more specific cause. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ---------------------- Sorry @Bruno Njeru, 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?
Even if the database says it is listening, another process (such as a native Postgres installation) could be using port 5432, or there could be a conflict. This is a common issue and can prevent Wasp from connecting, even if Docker's Postgres is running. You can check what is using port 5432 with a command like
lsof -i tcp:5432 (Discord support thread).
2. IPv4/IPv6 Binding IssueSometimes, "localhost" resolves to an IPv6 address (::1) instead of IPv4 (127.0.0.1), which can cause connection issues. Try changing "localhost" to "127.0.0.1" in your connection string. This has resolved similar issues for other users (Discord support thread). 3. Multiple Database Instances
If you have another Postgres instance running natively (not in Docker), it could be interfering with the Docker container. Make sure only one Postgres instance is running on port 5432 (Discord support thread). 4. Terminal Usage
Ensure you are running wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start in a separate terminal from the one running wasp start db, and that the database terminal remains open (Discord support thread). 5. Docker Permissions
If you previously had Docker permission issues, make sure your user has the correct permissions to interact with Docker (OpenSaaS installation docker and db issue). What you can try: - Check for port conflicts:
and stop any other processes using that port. - Try changing "localhost" to "127.0.0.1" in your connection string if you are overriding DATABASE_URL. - Make sure Docker is running and you have permissions. - Ensure only one Postgres instance is running on port 5432. If you are not setting DATABASE_URL manually, Wasp should handle the connection automatically when using wasp start db (Connecting to a Database). If you are still having issues after these checks, please provide any error output from wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start for further diagnosis. If none of these steps resolve the issue, the knowledge sources do not provide enough information to identify a more specific cause. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ---------------------- Sorry @Bruno Njeru, 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?
still getting the error @kapa.ai @Wasp Team why is wasp start and wasp db migrate-dev not working
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
----------------------
Based on the knowledge sources, if you are still getting the error when running wasp start or wasp db migrate-dev, even though your database appears to be running and "ready to accept connections," the most likely causes are:
1. Port Conflict or Port Already in Use
If another process (such as a native Postgres installation) is already using port 5432, Wasp's managed dev database in Docker may not be accessible, even if it appears to be running. This is a common issue and is mentioned in several user reports and issues. You should check if port 5432 is already in use by another process and stop any conflicting services.
There are cases where "localhost" resolves to an IPv6 address (::1) instead of IPv4 (127.0.0.1), which can cause connection issues. Some users have resolved this by changing "localhost" to "127.0.0.1" in their connection string.
If you have another Postgres instance running natively, it could interfere with the Docker container. Make sure only one Postgres instance is running on port 5432. 4. Terminal Usage
You must keep the terminal running wasp start db open and run wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start in a separate terminal window. Closing the database terminal will stop the database process.
Discord support thread 5. Database Initialization Regression
There have been regressions where Wasp does not create the database if it doesn't exist, and instead just fails to connect.
Fix database initialization If you have checked all of the above and the problem persists, the knowledge sources do not provide enough information to identify a more specific cause. Please provide the exact error output from wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start for further diagnosis. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ---------------------- Sorry @Bruno Njeru, 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?
If another process (such as a native Postgres installation) is already using port 5432, Wasp's managed dev database in Docker may not be accessible, even if it appears to be running. This is a common issue and is mentioned in several user reports and issues. You should check if port 5432 is already in use by another process and stop any conflicting services.
"If that port is already occupied by some other process, or by another Wasp app, starting the db will fail."Allow choosing another port 2. IPv4/IPv6 Binding Issues
There are cases where "localhost" resolves to an IPv6 address (::1) instead of IPv4 (127.0.0.1), which can cause connection issues. Some users have resolved this by changing "localhost" to "127.0.0.1" in their connection string.
"Maybe try changing the localhost to 127.0.0.1 in the test app I sent you? ... That forces the app to use IPv4 connection to the DB"Discord support thread 3. Multiple Database Instances
If you have another Postgres instance running natively, it could interfere with the Docker container. Make sure only one Postgres instance is running on port 5432. 4. Terminal Usage
You must keep the terminal running wasp start db open and run wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start in a separate terminal window. Closing the database terminal will stop the database process.
Discord support thread 5. Database Initialization Regression
There have been regressions where Wasp does not create the database if it doesn't exist, and instead just fails to connect.
Fix database initialization If you have checked all of the above and the problem persists, the knowledge sources do not provide enough information to identify a more specific cause. Please provide the exact error output from wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start for further diagnosis. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ---------------------- Sorry @Bruno Njeru, 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?
the error is
❌ --- [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. whats the solutions @kapa.ai @Wasp Team wasp start db is running in another terminal ℹ Database data is persisted in a docker volume with the following name (useful to know if you will want to delete it at some point):
wasp-dev-db-envelopeBudgeter-53fb2144eb
...
PostgreSQL Database directory appears to contain a database; Skipping initialization
2025-09-02 18:37:25.976 UTC [1] LOG: starting PostgreSQL 17.6 (Debian 17.6-1.pgdg13+1) on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by gcc (Debian 14.2.0-19) 14.2.0, 64-bit
2025-09-02 18:37:25.980 UTC [1] LOG: listening on IPv4 address "0.0.0.0", port 5432
2025-09-02 18:37:25.980 UTC [1] LOG: listening on IPv6 address "::", port 5432
2025-09-02 18:37:25.999 UTC [1] LOG: listening on Unix socket "/var/run/postgresql/.s.PGSQL.5432"
2025-09-02 18:37:26.031 UTC [29] LOG: database system was shut down at 2025-09-02 18:18:01 UTC
2025-09-02 18:37:26.085 UTC [1] LOG: database system is ready to accept connections
2025-09-02 18Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
----------------------
Given your error:
Action:
Check what is using port 5432: If you see another process (like a native Postgres), stop it and try again. This is a common cause of this error (Discord support thread). --- 2. IPv4/IPv6 Binding Issue Sometimes, "localhost" resolves to IPv6 (::1) instead of IPv4 (127.0.0.1), causing connection issues.
Action:
If you are overriding
❌ --- [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.
And your logs show the database is "ready to accept connections" and running on port 5432, but Wasp still cannot connect, here are the solutions and checks directly based on the knowledge sources:
---
1. Port Conflict or Another Postgres Instance
Even if Docker's Postgres is running, if another Postgres instance (native or from another container) is using port 5432, Wasp may not connect properly.Action:
Check what is using port 5432: If you see another process (like a native Postgres), stop it and try again. This is a common cause of this error (Discord support thread). --- 2. IPv4/IPv6 Binding Issue Sometimes, "localhost" resolves to IPv6 (::1) instead of IPv4 (127.0.0.1), causing connection issues.
Action:
If you are overriding
DATABASE_URL, try changing localhost to 127.0.0.1 (Discord support thread).
---
3. Multiple Terminals
You must keep the terminal running wasp start db open and run wasp db migrate-dev or wasp start in a separate terminal window. Closing the DB terminal will stop the database (Discord support thread).
---
4. Docker Permissions
If you previously had Docker permission issues, ensure your user has the correct permissions to interact with Docker (OpenSaaS installation docker and db issue).
---
5. No Need for DATABASE_URL with Managed DB
If you use wasp start db, do not set DATABASE_URL manually. Let Wasp handle it (Connecting to a Database).
---
If you have checked all of the above and the error persists, the knowledge sources do not provide a more specific solution. In that case, please share the output of lsof -i tcp:5432 and confirm if you have any custom DATABASE_URL set.
----------------------
Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
----------------------
Sorry @Bruno Njeru, 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?DATABASE_URL is not set im using wasp start db and there is no other instance using port 5432 @kapa.ai
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
----------------------
Thank you for clarifying that:
- You are not setting
DATABASE_URL.
- You are using wasp start db.
- There is no other process using port 5432.
Based on the knowledge sources, if you are still getting the 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.
while the database logs show it is "ready to accept connections," then you have already covered the most common causes (port conflict, multiple instances, manual DATABASE_URL).
At this point, the knowledge sources do not provide a clear, additional solution for your situation. There are no further documented troubleshooting steps for this exact scenario beyond what you have already tried.
If you continue to experience this issue, it may be a bug or an edge case not covered in the current documentation or community discussions. You may want to open an issue on the Wasp GitHub repository with your findings and logs, as this could help the maintainers identify and resolve the problem for you and others in the future.
If you have any additional context (OS, Wasp version, Docker version, etc.), sharing that with the maintainers could also help with diagnosis.
I'm sorry I can't provide a more specific solution based on the available knowledge sources.
----------------------
Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
----------------------
Sorry @Bruno Njeru, 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 @Bruno Njeru, it seems the bot is in a bit of a loop. Let me jump in.
- Are you running
wasp start db from the same directory as wasp start?
- Can you try to connect to the postgres URL manually, see if it works? Using a Postgres client on the desktop or the command line should do the trick.
- Which Docker environment are you using? Regular Docker on Linux, Docker on WSL, Docker Desktop, another thing?It's OK @Carlos I just started a new project. I was using the envelope budgeting app so I cloned the repo and started again