markdown/reference/cli/client_utilities/createdb.html.md.erb

---
title: createdb
---

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Creates a new database.

## <a id="topic1__section2"></a>Synopsis

``` pre

createdb [<connection_options>] [<database_options>] [-e | --echo] [<dbname> ['<description>']]

createdb --help 

createdb --version

```
where:

``` pre
<connection_options> =
	[-h <host> | --host <host>] 
	[-p <port> | -- port <port>] 
	[-U <username> | --username <username>] 
    [-W | --password] 
         
<database_options> =
    [-D <tablespace> | --tablespace <tablespace>]
    [-E <encoding> | --encoding <encoding>]
    [-O <username> | --owner <username>] 
    [-T <template>| --template <template>] 
```

## <a id="topic1__section3"></a>Description

`createdb` creates a new database in a HAWQ system.

Normally, the database user who executes this command becomes the owner of the new database. However a different owner can be specified via the `-O` option, if the executing user has appropriate privileges.

`createdb` is a wrapper around the SQL command `CREATE DATABASE`.

## <a id="topic1__section4"></a>Options

<dt>**\<dbname\>**</dt>
<dd>The name of the database to be created. The name must be unique among all other databases in the HAWQ system. If not specified, reads from the environment variable `PGDATABASE`, then `PGUSER` or defaults to the current system user.</dd>

<dt>\<description\></dt>
<dd>Optional comment to be associated with the newly created database. Descriptions containing white space must be enclosed in quotes.</dd>

<dt>-e, --echo </dt>
<dd>Echo the commands that createdb generates and sends to the server.</dd>

**\<database_options\>**

<dt>-D, -\\\-tablespace \<tablespace\>  </dt>
<dd>The default tablespace for the database.</dd>

<dt>-E, -\\\-encoding \<encoding\> </dt>
<dd>Character set encoding to use in the new database. Specify a string constant (such as `'UTF8'`), an integer encoding number, or `DEFAULT` to use the default encoding.</dd>

<dt>-O, -\\\-owner \<username\>  </dt>
<dd>The name of the database user who will own the new database. Defaults to the user executing this command.</dd>

<dt>-T, -\\\-template \<template\>  </dt>
<dd>The name of the template from which to create the new database. Defaults to `template1`.</dd>

**\<connection_options\>**
 
<dt>-h, -\\\-host \<hostname\>  </dt>
<dd>The host name of the machine on which the HAWQ master database server is running. If not specified, reads from the environment variable `PGHOST` or defaults to localhost.</dd>

<dt>-p, -\\\-port \<port\>  </dt>
<dd>The TCP port on which the HAWQ master database server is listening for connections. If not specified, reads from the environment variable `PGPORT` or defaults to 5432.</dd>

<dt>-U, -\\\-username \<username\>  </dt>
<dd>The database role name to connect as. If not specified, reads from the environment variable `PGUSER` or defaults to the current system role name.</dd>

<dt>-w, -\\\-no-password  </dt>
<dd>Never issue a password prompt. If the server requires password authentication and a password is not available by other means such as a `.pgpass` file, the connection attempt will fail. This option can be useful in batch jobs and scripts where no user is present to enter a password.</dd>

<dt>-W, -\\\-password  </dt>
<dd>Force a password prompt.</dd>


**Other Options**

<dt>-\\\-help  </dt>
<dd>Displays the online help.</dd>

<dt>-\\\-version  </dt>
<dd>Displays the version of this utility.</dd>

## <a id="topic1__section6"></a>Examples

To create the database `testdb` using the default options:

``` shell
$ createdb testdb
```

To create the database `demo` using the HAWQ master on host `gpmaster`, port `54321`, using the `LATIN1` encoding scheme:

``` shell
$ createdb -p 54321 -h gpmaster -E LATIN1 demo
```