---
title: "Connect to a DBaaS instance"
description: "Find your DBaaS instance's Endpoint and port, and connect with a client, an application, or SSL."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "database"
platform: "MyAccount"
url: "/myaccount/database/how-to/connect-to-a-database/"
topic: ["create-and-connect"]
relationships: {"requires":["/myaccount/database/how-to/create-a-database/"]}
---

# Connect to a DBaaS instance

Connect to a DBaaS instance from a command-line client or from your application, using the
connection details on its details page.

## Before you begin

Have the DBaaS instance **Running**, and its current password to hand.

## Find the connection details

On the DBaaS instance's details page, under **Connection Details**, note its **Endpoint**,
**Username**, **Port**, and **Database Name**. If you have lost the password, see
[Reset the DBaaS instance password](/myaccount/database/how-to/reset-the-database-password/).

Choose the address to connect to:

- Use **Endpoint** to connect from the internet, from any IP address the whitelist allows. It works
  while the **Public IP** row shows **Attached**. If the row shows **Detached**, click **Attach**
  and confirm with **Attach**.
- Use **Private IPv4** to connect from something inside a VPC attached to the DBaaS instance.

## Connect to MySQL or MariaDB

```bash
mysql -h <endpoint> -P 3306 -u <username> -p
```

`<endpoint>` is the **Endpoint** or **Private IPv4** you chose, and `<username>` is the **Username**
under **Connection Details**. Enter the password when asked. The client needs to use SSL; if it
connects without SSL and is refused, use the SSL command in
[Connect with SSL on](#connect-with-ssl-on).

## Connect to PostgreSQL

```bash
psql -h <endpoint> -p 5432 -U <username> -d <database-name>
```

`<endpoint>` is the **Endpoint** or **Private IPv4** you chose, and `<username>` and
`<database-name>` are the **Username** and **Database Name** under **Connection Details**. Enter the
password when asked. The client needs to use SSL; if it connects without SSL and is refused, use the
SSL command in [Connect with SSL on](#connect-with-ssl-on).

## Connect from an application

Most drivers and object-relational mappers accept a connection URL instead of separate fields:

```text
mysql://<username>:<password>@<endpoint>:3306/<database-name>
postgresql://<username>:<password>@<endpoint>:5432/<database-name>
```

Replace `<username>`, `<password>`, `<endpoint>`, and `<database-name>` with the values from
**Connection Details**. In a connection URL, URL-encode any special characters in the password: for
example, write `@` as `%40`.

## Connect with SSL on

SSL is on for every new DBaaS instance. A DBaaS instance with SSL on requires SSL on every
connection, on MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL. If SSL is off on an older DBaaS instance, turn it on
first; see [Enable SSL on a DBaaS instance](/myaccount/database/how-to/enable-ssl-on-a-database/).
Once SSL is on, in the **CA Certificate** row under **Connection Details**, click **Download** to
get the CA certificate, `ca-cert.pem`. Then point your client at it.

For MySQL and MariaDB, use the MySQL 8.0 client:

```bash
mysql -h <endpoint> -P 3306 -u <username> -p --ssl-mode=VERIFY_CA --ssl-ca=ca-cert.pem
```

PostgreSQL:

```bash
psql "host=<endpoint> port=5432 user=<username> dbname=<database-name> sslmode=verify-ca sslrootcert=ca-cert.pem"
```

`<endpoint>`, `<username>`, and `<database-name>` are the values from **Connection Details**. Both
commands check the server against the CA certificate you downloaded. Keep that CA check, and leave
the host-name check out; if a client reports a certificate error, see
[Troubleshooting DBaaS](/myaccount/database/troubleshooting/database/#a-certificate-check-fails-with-does-not-match-host-name-or-certificate-verify-failed).

A successful connection shows the client's prompt, and you are working in your database. If a
connection times out or is refused, see
[Troubleshooting DBaaS](/myaccount/database/troubleshooting/database/#a-connection-times-out-or-is-refused).