What is a database
A database stores and organizes data for an application. In Coolify, a standalone database is a database engine that Coolify deploys and manages as a Docker container on a selected server and destination.
Coolify currently provides one-click resources for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB, Redis, Dragonfly, KeyDB, and ClickHouse.
What is a one-click database?
A one-click database is a standalone database resource that Coolify creates from the New Resource > Databases list. You choose a supported engine, and Coolify creates the database resource with an engine-specific image, generated credentials, connection details, persistent storage, and the configuration needed to deploy it.
One-click means that Coolify supplies the initial resource configuration. It does not mean that the database is a managed cluster or that Coolify provides replication, automatic failover, or a multi-node topology. The result is one database resource that runs as a Docker container on the server and destination you select.
Read How databases work for the creation and deployment lifecycle.
Use a Service instead when you need a Docker Compose topology, multiple database containers, an unsupported engine, or configuration that the one-click database form does not expose.
What a database resource includes
When Coolify creates a one-click database, it creates and stores:
| Part | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Database container | Runs the selected database engine on the server and destination you choose. |
| Generated credentials | Provides the initial username, password, and database name used by the connection details. |
| Persistent storage | Keeps database files outside the replaceable container. |
| Internal URL | Gives applications on the same destination network a connection string. |
| Configuration and operations | Lets you manage networking, health checks, backups where supported, logs, terminal access, and lifecycle actions. |
The exact connection format, storage path, SSL behavior, and backup support depend on the database engine. Read the engine guide before changing a production database.
Standalone databases and applications
An application uses a database; it does not contain the database's data. Keep the resources separate so you can deploy the application without replacing the database container.
For an application on the same Coolify destination, use the database's Internal URL. Coolify uses the database container name and internal port in that URL. Do not replace the container name with a server IP for an internal connection.
If a client runs outside the destination network, configure network access only when necessary. A public database endpoint exposes a database protocol, so restrict the port with your firewall and enable SSL when the engine supports it.
What a standalone database is not
A standalone database is not an application and is not a managed database service. Coolify manages the resource configuration and container lifecycle, but the database engine is still responsible for its own data integrity, replication, clustering, and upgrade procedures.
The persistent volume protects data during normal container replacement. It does not protect against volume deletion, disk failure, corruption, or server loss. Configure database backups for supported engines and test restoring one before relying on it.