> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.cockroachlabs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Create a Database
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This page provides best-practice guidance on creating databases, with a couple examples based on Cockroach Labs's fictional vehicle-sharing company, MovR.
For reference documentation on the `CREATE DATABASE` statement, including additional examples, see the `CREATE DATABASE` syntax page.
## Before you begin
Before reading this page, do the following:
* Create a CockroachDB Standard cluster or start a local cluster.
* Review the database schema objects.
## Create a database
Database objects make up the first level of the CockroachDB naming hierarchy.
To create a database, use a `CREATE DATABASE` statement, following [the database best practices](#database-best-practices). After reviewing the best practices, see the examples we provide [below](#example).
Cockroach Labs recommends against starting a database name with the string `cluster:`. Refer to [Database Best Practices](#database-best-practices) for more information.
### Database best practices
Here are some best practices to follow when creating and using databases:
* Do not use the preloaded `defaultdb` database. Instead, create your own database with a `CREATE DATABASE` statement, and change it to the SQL session's current database by executing a `USE {databasename};` statement, by passing the `--database={databasename}` flag to the `cockroach sql` command, or by specifying the `database` parameter in the connection string passed to your database schema migration tool.
* Do not begin your database name with the string `cluster:`. If your database name begins with this string, you must append the following to the URI connection string to connect to the cluster: `&options=-ccluster=system`
* Create databases and user-defined schemas as a member of the `admin` role (e.g., as the `root` user), and create all other lower-level objects as a different user, with fewer privileges, following authorization best practices.
* Limit the number of databases you create. If you need to create multiple tables with the same name in your cluster, do so in different user-defined schemas, in the same database.
* Use a database schema migration tool or the CockroachDB SQL client instead of a client library to execute database schema changes.
### Example
Create an empty file with the `.sql` file extension at the end of the filename. This file will initialize the database that will store all of the data for the MovR application.
For example:
```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
$ touch dbinit.sql
```
Open `dbinit.sql` in a text editor, and, at the top of the file, add a `CREATE DATABASE` statement:
```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS movr;
```
This statement will create a database named `movr`, if one does not already exist.
To execute the statement in the `dbinit.sql` file as the `root` user, run the following command:
```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
$ cockroach sql \
--certs-dir={certs-directory} \
--user=root \
-f dbinit.sql
```
To view the database in the cluster, execute a `SHOW DATABASES` statement from the command line:
```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
$ cockroach sql \
--certs-dir={certs-directory} \
--user=root \
--execute="SHOW DATABASES;"
```
```text theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
database_name | owner | primary_region | regions | survival_goal
----------------+-------+----------------+---------+----------------
defaultdb | root | NULL | {} | NULL
movr | root | NULL | {} | NULL
postgres | root | NULL | {} | NULL
system | node | NULL | {} | NULL
(4 rows)
```
You're now ready to start adding user-defined schemas to the `movr` database.
For guidance on creating user-defined schemas, see Create a User-defined Schema.
## What's next?
* Create a User-defined Schema
* Create a Table
You might also be interested in the following pages:
* `CREATE DATABASE`
* Schema Design Overview
* `cockroach` Commands Overview
* CockroachDB naming hierarchy