DEFINE DATABASE statement
The DEFINE DATABASE statement allows you to instantiate a named database, enabling you to specify security and configuration options.
Requirements
- You must be authenticated as a root or namespace user before you can use the
DEFINE DATABASEstatement. - You must select your namespace before you can use the
DEFINE DATABASEstatement.
Statement syntax
SurrealQL SyntaxDEFINE DATABASE [ IF NOT EXISTS ] @name [CHANGEFEED @duration | @versionstamp [INCLUDE ORIGINAL] ] [ COMMENT @string ]
Example usage
Below shows how you can create a database using the DEFINE DATABASE statement.
-- Specify the namespace for the database
USE NS abcum;
-- Define database
DEFINE DATABASE app_vitalsense;
Using IF NOT EXISTS clause Since 1.3.0
The IF NOT EXISTS clause can be used to define a database only if it does not already exist. If the database already exists, the DEFINE DATABASE statement will return an error.
-- Create a DATABASE if it does not already exist
DEFINE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS app_vitalsense;
Changefeeds
A changefeed can be defined on a database, in which case all table events will show up on the changefeed without needing to be included in a DEFINE TABLE statement.
DEFINE DATABASE my_database CHANGEFEED 3d;
CREATE reading SET story = "Once upon a time";
CREATE reading SET story = "there was a database";
CREATE company SET name = "SurrealDB", stories = (SELECT * FROM story);
UPDATE reading SET story = story + "!";
SHOW CHANGES FOR TABLE reading SINCE 1 LIMIT 10;
SHOW CHANGES FOR TABLE company SINCE 1 LIMIT 10;