---
layout: docs
page_title: database - Command
description: >-
  The "database" command performs operations on Boundary's database. You can initialize or migrate the database.
---

# database

Command: `boundary database`

The `database` command lets you perform operations on Boundary's database.

Boundary manages its state and configuration in a relational database management system (RDBMS), namely PostgreSQL.
You must create, set up, and make the PostgreSQL database accessible to the Boundary controller nodes before you configure the nodes themselves.

## Examples

The following example initializes the Boundary database:

```shell-session
$ boundary database init \
   -skip-auth-method-creation \
   -skip-host-resources-creation \
   -skip-scopes-creation \
   -skip-target-creation \
   -config /etc/boundary.d/controller.hcl
```

Before you can start Boundary, you must initialize the database from one Boundary controller.
This operation is only required once.
It will execute the required database migrations for the Boundary cluster to operate.

## Usage

<CodeBlockConfig hideClipboard>

```shell-session
Usage: boundary database [sub command] [options] [args]

  # ...

Subcommands:
    init       Initialize Boundary's database
    migrate    Migrate Boundary's database to the most recent schema supported by this binary.
```

</CodeBlockConfig>

For more information, examples, and usage, click on the name
of the subcommand in the sidebar or one of the links below:

- [init](/boundary/docs/commands/database/init)
- [migrate](/boundary/docs/commands/database/migrate)