# createdb createdb — create a newPostgreSQLdatabase ## Synopsis `createdb`\[`connection-option`...] \[`option`...] \[`dbname`\[`description`]] ## Description createdbcreates a newPostgreSQLdatabase. Normally, the database user who executes this command becomes the owner of the new database. However, a different owner can be specified via the`-O`option, if the executing user has appropriate privileges. createdbis a wrapper around theSQLcommand[CREATE DATABASE](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/sql-createdatabase.html). There is no effective difference between creating databases via this utility and via other methods for accessing the server. ## Options createdbaccepts the following command-line arguments: `dbname` Specifies the name of the database to be created. The name must be unique among allPostgreSQLdatabases in this cluster. The default is to create a database with the same name as the current system user. `description` Specifies a comment to be associated with the newly created database. `-D` `tablespace` `--tablespace=` `tablespace` Specifies the default tablespace for the database. (This name is processed as a double-quoted identifier.) `-e` `--echo` Echo the commands thatcreatedbgenerates and sends to the server. `-E` `encoding` `--encoding=` `encoding` Specifies the character encoding scheme to be used in this database. The character sets supported by thePostgreSQLserver are described in[Section 23.3.1](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/multibyte.html#multibyte-charset-supported). `-l` `locale` `--locale=` `locale` Specifies the locale to be used in this database. This is equivalent to specifying both`--lc-collate`and`--lc-ctype`. `--lc-collate=` `locale` Specifies the LC\_COLLATE setting to be used in this database. `--lc-ctype=` `locale` Specifies the LC\_CTYPE setting to be used in this database. `-O` `owner` `--owner=` `owner` Specifies the database user who will own the new database. (This name is processed as a double-quoted identifier.) `-T` `template` `--template=` `template` Specifies the template database from which to build this database. (This name is processed as a double-quoted identifier.) `-V` `--version` Print thecreatedbversion and exit. `-?` `--help` Show help aboutcreatedbcommand line arguments, and exit. The options`-D`,`-l`,`-E`,`-O`, and`-T`correspond to options of the underlying SQL command[CREATE DATABASE](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/sql-createdatabase.html); see there for more information about them. createdbalso accepts the following command-line arguments for connection parameters: `-h` `host` `--host=` `host` Specifies the host name of the machine on which the server is running. If the value begins with a slash, it is used as the directory for the Unix domain socket. `-p` `port` `--port=` `port` Specifies the TCP port or the local Unix domain socket file extension on which the server is listening for connections. `-U` `username` `--username=` `username` User name to connect as. `-w` `--no-password` Never issue a password prompt. If the server requires password authentication and a password is not available by other means such as a`.pgpass`file, the connection attempt will fail. This option can be useful in batch jobs and scripts where no user is present to enter a password. `-W` `--password` Forcecreatedbto prompt for a password before connecting to a database. This option is never essential, sincecreatedbwill automatically prompt for a password if the server demands password authentication. However,createdbwill waste a connection attempt finding out that the server wants a password. In some cases it is worth typing`-W`to avoid the extra connection attempt. `--maintenance-db=` `dbname` Specifies the name of the database to connect to when creating the new database. If not specified, the`postgres`database will be used; if that does not exist (or if it is the name of the new database being created),`template1`will be used. ## Environment `PGDATABASE` If set, the name of the database to create, unless overridden on the command line. `PGHOST` `PGPORT` `PGUSER` Default connection parameters.`PGUSER`also determines the name of the database to create, if it is not specified on the command line or by`PGDATABASE`. This utility, like most otherPostgreSQLutilities, also uses the environment variables supported bylibpq(see[Section 33.14](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/libpq-envars.html)). ## Diagnostics In case of difficulty, see[CREATE DATABASE](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/sql-createdatabase.html)and[psql](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/app-psql.html)for discussions of potential problems and error messages. The database server must be running at the targeted host. Also, any default connection settings and environment variables used by thelibpqfront-end library will apply. ## Examples To create the database`demo`using the default database server: ``` $ createdb demo ``` To create the database`demo`using the server on host`eden`, port 5000, using the`template0`template database, here is the command-line command and the underlying SQL command: ``` $ createdb -p 5000 -h eden -T template0 -e demo CREATE DATABASE demo TEMPLATE template0; ``` ## See Also [dropdb](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/app-dropdb.html) , [CREATE DATABASE](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/sql-createdatabase.html) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.postgresql.tw/13/reference/client-applications/createdb.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.