Database

Add official Railway database services. These are maintained templates with pre-configured volumes, networking, and connection variables.

For non-database templates, see the templates skill.

When to Use

• User asks to "add a database", "add Postgres", "add Redis", etc.

• User needs a database for their application

• User asks about connecting to a database

• User says "add postgres and connect to my server"

• User says "wire up the database"

Decision Flow

ALWAYS check for existing databases FIRST before creating.

User mentions database │ Check existing DBs first (query env config for source.image) │ ┌────┴────┐ Exists Doesn't exist │ │ │ Create database │ (CLI or API) │ │ │ Wait for deployment │ │ └─────┬─────┘ │ User wants to connect service? │ ┌─────┴─────┐ Yes No │ │ Wire vars Done + via env suggest wiring skill

Check for Existing Databases

Before creating a database, check if one already exists.

For full environment config structure, see environment-config.md.

railway status --json

Then query environment config and check source.image for each service:

query environmentConfig($environmentId: String!) { environment(id: $environmentId) { config(decryptVariables: false) } }

The config.services object contains each service's configuration. Check source.image for:

• ghcr.io/railway/postgres* or postgres:* → Postgres

• ghcr.io/railway/redis* or redis:* → Redis

• ghcr.io/railway/mysql* or mysql:* → MySQL

• ghcr.io/railway/mongo* or mongo:* → MongoDB

Available Databases

Database Template Code

PostgreSQL postgres

Redis redis

MySQL mysql

MongoDB mongodb

Prerequisites

Get project context:

railway status --json

Extract:

• id

• project ID

• environments.edges[0].node.id

• environment ID

Get workspace ID (not in status output):

bash <<'SCRIPT' scripts/railway-api.sh
'query getWorkspace($projectId: String!) { project(id: $projectId) { workspaceId } }'
'{"projectId": "PROJECT_ID"}' SCRIPT

Adding a Database

Step 1: Fetch Template

bash <<'SCRIPT' scripts/railway-api.sh
'query template($code: String!) { template(code: $code) { id name serializedConfig } }'
'{"code": "postgres"}' SCRIPT

This returns the template's id and serializedConfig needed for deployment.

Step 2: Deploy Template

bash <<'SCRIPT' scripts/railway-api.sh
'mutation deployTemplate($input: TemplateDeployV2Input!) { templateDeployV2(input: $input) { projectId workflowId } }'
'{ "input": { "templateId": "TEMPLATE_ID", "serializedConfig": SERIALIZED_CONFIG, "projectId": "PROJECT_ID", "environmentId": "ENVIRONMENT_ID", "workspaceId": "WORKSPACE_ID" } }' SCRIPT

Important: serializedConfig is the exact object from the template query, not a string.

Connecting to the Database

After deployment, other services connect using reference variables.

For complete variable reference syntax and wiring patterns, see variables.md.

Backend Services (Server-side)

Use the private/internal URL for server-to-server communication:

Database Variable Reference

PostgreSQL ${{Postgres.DATABASE_URL}}

Redis ${{Redis.REDIS_URL}}

MySQL ${{MySQL.MYSQL_URL}}

MongoDB ${{MongoDB.MONGO_URL}}

Frontend Applications

Important: Frontends run in the user's browser and cannot access Railway's private network. They must use public URLs or go through a backend API.

For direct database access from frontend (not recommended):

• Use the public URL variables (e.g., ${{MongoDB.MONGO_PUBLIC_URL}} )

• Requires TCP proxy to be enabled

Better pattern: Frontend → Backend API → Database

Example: Add PostgreSQL

bash <<'SCRIPT'

1. Get context

railway status --json

Extract project.id and environment.id

2. Get workspace ID

scripts/railway-api.sh
'query { project(id: "proj-id") { workspaceId } }' '{}'

3. Fetch Postgres template

scripts/railway-api.sh
'query { template(code: "postgres") { id serializedConfig } }' '{}'

4. Deploy template

scripts/railway-api.sh
'mutation deploy($input: TemplateDeployV2Input!) { templateDeployV2(input: $input) { projectId workflowId } }'
'{"input": {"templateId": "...", "serializedConfig": {...}, "projectId": "...", "environmentId": "...", "workspaceId": "..."}}' SCRIPT

Then Connect From Another Service

Use environment skill to add the variable reference:

{ "services": { "<backend-service-id>": { "variables": { "DATABASE_URL": { "value": "${{Postgres.DATABASE_URL}}" } } } } }

Response

Successful deployment returns:

{ "data": { "templateDeployV2": { "projectId": "e63baedb-e308-49e9-8c06-c25336f861c7", "workflowId": "deployTemplate/project/e63baedb-e308-49e9-8c06-c25336f861c7/xxx" } } }

What Gets Created

Each database template creates:

• A service with the database image

• A volume for data persistence

• Environment variables for connection strings

• TCP proxy for external access (where applicable)

Error Handling

Error Cause Solution

Template not found Invalid template code Use: postgres , redis , mysql , mongodb

Permission denied User lacks access Need DEVELOPER role or higher

Project not found Invalid project ID Run railway status --json for correct ID

Example Workflows

"add postgres and connect to the server"

• Check existing DBs via env config query

• If postgres exists: Skip to step 5

• If not exists: Deploy postgres template (fetch template → deploy)

• Wait for deployment to complete

• Identify target service (ask if multiple, or use linked service)

• Use environment skill to stage: DATABASE_URL: { "value": "${{Postgres.DATABASE_URL}}" }

• Apply changes

"add postgres"

• Check existing DBs via env config query

• If exists: "Postgres already exists in this project"

• If not exists: Deploy postgres template

• Inform user: "Postgres created. Connect a service with: DATABASE_URL=${{Postgres.DATABASE_URL}} "

"connect the server to redis"

• Check existing DBs via env config query

• If redis exists: Wire up REDIS_URL via environment skill → apply

• If no redis: Ask "No Redis found. Create one?"

• Deploy redis template

• Wire REDIS_URL → apply

Composability

• Connect services: Use environment skill to add variable references

• View database service: Use service skill

• Check logs: Use deployment skill