Documentation Index
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mkdb start creates and starts a new database container. Run it without any flags to step through an interactive menu, or pass flags directly to skip the prompts — useful in scripts or when you want to recreate a specific setup quickly.
Flags
Database type to create. Accepts postgres, pg, postgresql, mysql, mariadb, or redis.
Name for the database. Used as the container display name and in the connection string.
Database image version to use. Defaults to 18 for PostgreSQL, latest for MySQL and Redis.
Host port to bind the container to. If omitted, mkdb uses the database default port and automatically selects the next available port if it is already in use. If you specify a port that is already in use, mkdb returns an error.
Volume configuration for the container. Accepts none (no persistence), named (stores data in ~/.local/share/mkdb/volumes/<name>), or a custom filesystem path (bind mount). If omitted, mkdb prompts you to choose.
Time to live in hours. The container is automatically cleaned up after this many hours. Default is 2.
Reuse the settings from the last database you created. mkdb shows you the saved settings and asks you to confirm before proceeding.
Create the database without a username or password. See authentication below. Smart prompting
mkdb start only prompts for values you have not already provided via flags. For example, if you pass --db mysql --name testdb, mkdb skips the database type and name prompts but still asks about volume configuration and authentication unless you specify those flags too.
Port handling
When you do not specify --port, mkdb uses the database default port (5432 for PostgreSQL, 3306 for MySQL, 6379 for Redis). If that port is already in use, mkdb finds the next available port automatically and prints a notice:
⚠ Default port 5432 is in use, finding next available port...
ℹ Using port 5433
--port explicitly and that port is already in use, mkdb returns an error and exits. Automatic port selection checks up to 100 ports from the default.
Authentication
By default, mkdb prompts you to enable authentication. When enabled, it creates a user named dbuser with a randomly generated 12-character alphanumeric password and displays the connection string after creation.
To skip the prompt, use --no-auth to create the database without a username or password:
mkdb start --db postgres --name publicdb --no-auth
Databases created with --no-auth cannot use mkdb creds rotate. Connection strings for unauthenticated databases do not include credentials. Only use this option for local development or testing environments where security is not a concern.
Examples
Interactive mode — prompts for all options:
$ mkdb start
? Select database type: postgres
? Enter database name: devdb
? Enable authentication? (recommended) Yes
? Do you want to create a volume for this database? named
✓ Database 'devdb' created successfully!
╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ DB_URL=postgresql://dbuser:M3kP9xL2vN7w@localhost:5432/devdb │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
ℹ Database will expire in 2 hours (at 2025-12-23 17:00:00)
$ mkdb start --db postgres --name devdb
ℹ Creating postgres database 'devdb'...
✓ Database 'devdb' created successfully!
╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ DB_URL=postgresql://dbuser:Xy9k2mN8pL4v@localhost:5432/devdb │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
ℹ Database will expire in 2 hours (at 2025-12-23 17:00:00)
ℹ Use 'mkdb start --repeat' to quickly create another database with the same settings
mkdb start --db mysql --name testdb
$ mkdb start --db postgres --name devdb --ttl 48
ℹ Creating postgres database 'devdb'...
✓ Database 'devdb' created successfully!
╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ DB_URL=postgresql://dbuser:Bw7n5pK2mL9t@localhost:5432/devdb │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
ℹ Database will expire in 48 hours (at 2025-12-25 17:00:00)
$ mkdb start --repeat
ℹ Using previous settings: postgres database 'devdb'
? Continue with these settings? Yes
ℹ Creating postgres database 'devdb'...
✓ Database 'devdb' created successfully!
# No persistent storage — data is lost when the container is removed
mkdb start --db redis --name cache --volume none
# Named volume stored in ~/.local/share/mkdb/volumes/<name>
mkdb start --db postgres --name mydb --volume named
# Custom bind-mount path
mkdb start --db redis --name cache --volume /data/redis
# PostgreSQL without authentication (trust mode)
mkdb start --db postgres --name devdb --no-auth
# MySQL without authentication (root login without password)
mkdb start --db mysql --name devdb --no-auth
# Redis without authentication (no requirepass)
mkdb start --db redis --name cache --no-auth
Default credentials
When authentication is enabled, mkdb creates the following default user:
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Username | dbuser |
| Password | Randomly generated 12-character string |
mkdb creds get.