Managed Databases
Nept provisions managed databases in the same region — and often on the same machine — as your app. See the database architecture doc for why co-location matters for latency.
Create a Postgres database
From the dashboard
Go to Deploy Database, pick Postgres, choose a plan, and click Create.
From the CLI
nept db create --type postgres --name my-db
Nept spins up the database, mounts a persistent volume, and exposes a connection URL as an environment variable.
Connect from your app
Nept injects the database URL as DATABASE_URL (configurable) into your app's environment:
// Next.js / Node.js
const url = process.env.DATABASE_URL;
Because the database is co-located with your app, queries stay on the local network and latency is measured in microseconds, not milliseconds.
Other database types
Nept can also run:
- MySQL / MariaDB
- Redis (cache and pub/sub)
- Custom images via Docker — bring your own database or extension.
Persistent volumes
Every managed database is backed by a persistent volume that survives restarts and redeploys. Volume size can be increased from the dashboard.
Private networking
Managed databases are reachable from your app over an internal network. They are not exposed to the public internet unless you explicitly opt in.
Environment variables
Database credentials are automatically injected into your app. To use them, see Environment Variables.