> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://test.pzona.fun/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Extend container lifetime with mkdb extend

> Use mkdb extend to add hours to a container's TTL and prevent automatic cleanup. Specify --hours to extend by more than the default one hour.

`mkdb extend` adds time to a container's TTL (time to live), pushing back the expiration date and preventing automatic cleanup. Use it when you need to keep a database running longer than its original TTL allows — for example, if you are in the middle of a longer development session or debugging an issue that will take more time than expected.

## Flags

<ParamField query="--name" type="string">
  Name of the container to extend. When provided, mkdb skips the interactive selection menu.
</ParamField>

<ParamField query="--hours" type="integer" default="1">
  Number of hours to add to the container's current expiration time. Defaults to `1`. If the container is already expired, mkdb extends from the current time rather than the original expiration date.
</ParamField>

## Examples

**Interactive mode — extend by 1 hour:**

```bash theme={null}
mkdb extend
```

**Non-interactive mode — extend a named container by 1 hour:**

```bash theme={null}
mkdb extend --name mydb
```

**Extend by a custom number of hours:**

```bash theme={null}
$ mkdb extend --name devdb --hours 24
✓ Container 'devdb' TTL extended by 24 hours!
ℹ New expiration: 2025-12-26 15:00:00
```

<Tip>
  For more about how TTL works and how to set a longer initial TTL at creation time, see [TTL configuration](/configuration/ttl).
</Tip>