Skip to main content
Vybe works with two kinds of databases. External databases are yours: connect them so AI coworkers and apps can query live data without copying it. Organization databases are shared Postgres databases that Vybe hosts for your organization, for tables your coworkers and apps build up over time. Each app also has its own database. See Data.

​
External databases

​
Connect a database

1

Open the form

Go to Connections in the sidebar, open the Advanced tab and click Connect database under External Databases. You can also use Settings → Data → Databases. The Connect External Database dialog opens.
2

Choose the type and name

Pick the Database Type and give the connection a Name, such as “Production Database”. Coworkers and apps refer to the database by this name.
3

Enter the database URL

Paste a Database URL in the form postgresql://username:password@host/database or mysql://username:password@host/database.
4

Keep read-only on

Enforce Read Only is on by default: “If enabled, each query will be executed in a read only transaction.” Leave it on unless coworkers and apps really need to write to this database.
5

Add an SSH tunnel if needed

If the database is behind a firewall or in a private network, open SSH Tunnel (Optional). See SSH tunnels.
6

Connect

Click Connect database. Vybe tests the connection first, through the tunnel if you set one, and only saves it if the test works.
The dialog reminds you that “This database connection will apply to your whole organization.” and to “Make sure that your database permissions are set up properly.” Connect with a database user that only has the permissions you want Vybe to have, for example SELECT on the schemas your team needs.
You can’t edit a database connection after you create it. To change the URL, the read-only setting or the tunnel, delete the connection and connect it again. Deleting a connection also deletes the data queries that use it, and coworkers need access to the new connection.

​
Read-only enforcement

With Enforce Read Only on, Vybe runs every query in a read-only transaction. SELECT queries work. INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE and schema changes fail, even if a coworker or an app tries them. This applies to every query through that connection. Connections with read-only on show a Read-only enforced badge in the list. Connections that use a tunnel show Secure Tunnel.

​
Amazon Redshift

“Redshift database connections currently require custom configurations. Please reach out to our support team if you would like to use Redshift in your apps.” Contact support@vybe.build before you set one up. The Redshift form asks for an AWS Region, a Role ARN that Vybe assumes, an optional External ID, a Cluster ID (provisioned clusters) or Workgroup Name (serverless), a Database Name and an optional Database User. Redshift connections have no Enforce Read Only and no SSH tunnel, so limit what the IAM role can do.

​
Explore a database

Click a database in the list to browse its tables (“Exploring data from name”).

​
SSH tunnels

Use an SSH tunnel for a PostgreSQL or MySQL database that isn’t reachable from the internet. Vybe connects to an SSH server you control, such as a bastion host, and reaches the database through it. In the SSH Tunnel (Optional) section of the connect dialog:
  • Tunnel Connection URL: the SSH server, such as ssh://username@bastion-host:22. You can put a password in the URL (ssh://username:password@bastion-host:22). URL-encode special characters.
  • Tunnel SSH Key (Optional): an SSH key that Vybe generated. Recommended instead of a password.

​
SSH keys

Vybe generates SSH keys for you. You never upload a private key.
1

Create a key

Go to Settings → Data → Databases. Under SSH Keys, click Create SSH Key, give it a Name and click Create SSH Key. Vybe generates an Ed25519 key pair and stores the private key encrypted.
2

Install the public key

Click Copy Public Key (SSH format for authorized_keys) and add it to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys for the tunnel user on your SSH server. Download Public Key (raw) saves the key as a file instead.
3

Use the key

When you connect a database, enter the Tunnel Connection URL and pick the key under Tunnel SSH Key (Optional).
SSH keys are shared across your organization, and you can use one key for several databases.
The SSH Keys section only appears on Settings → Data → Databases once your organization has at least one PostgreSQL or MySQL external database.

​
How coworkers use external databases

An AI coworker needs two things to query an external database:
  1. The External Databases capability turned on. It’s on by default. You’ll find it on the Advanced tab of the coworker’s Connections section.
  2. Access to that specific database. Each database is off for each coworker until you approve it. When a coworker needs a database, it asks for access in chat. Approve the request.
Then ask in plain language:
How many orders were placed last month? Use the Production Database.
Show me the top 10 customers by revenue from the analytics database.
The coworker writes the SQL, runs it (“Ran SQL query”) and shows the results. Queries a coworker runs in chat time out after 10 seconds. If no database is connected yet, the coworker can show a Connect external database card so you can connect one without leaving the chat. Artifacts that a coworker publishes can show live data from PostgreSQL and MySQL databases that have Enforce Read Only on. Artifact queries return at most 1,000 rows and time out after 10 seconds. See Artifacts.

​
How apps use external databases

Apps query external databases from their server code. The AI in the app editor writes the queries, using helpers such as queryExternalDatabasePostgres, queryExternalDatabaseMySQL and queryExternalDatabaseRedshift, and refers to the database by its name. The AI can also run SQL against the database while it builds, to check the data. See Data.

​
Organization databases

An organization database is a shared, managed Postgres database for your organization. Coworkers and apps can create tables in it, write to it and read from it.

​
Create one

Go to Connections in the sidebar, open the Advanced tab and click Create database under Organization Databases. You can also use Settings → Data → Databases. In Create organization database, enter a Name (up to 80 characters, unique in your organization) and an optional Description (up to 500 characters), then click Create. A coworker can also create one for you:
Create an organization database called “Customer feedback” and add a table for survey responses.
You’ll see “Created organization database “name"". A new database has no tables until a coworker or an app creates them.

​
Browse and delete

Click a database to browse its tables. To delete one, click the trash icon (Delete database) next to it and confirm “Delete organization database?”. This permanently deletes the database and its data.

​
Coworker access

Every coworker’s Organization Databases capability is on, at Full access, by default. Set it to Read only to block writes, or turn it off, on the Advanced tab of the coworker’s Connections section. Queries appear in chat as “Queried “name"".

​
Limits

Queries from coworkers and apps time out after 10 seconds. A query that returns more than 1,000 rows fails, so use LIMIT, filters or aggregates.

​
Troubleshooting

Check the host, port, database name and credentials in the URL. Make sure the database accepts connections from outside your network. If it’s behind a firewall or in a private network, use an SSH tunnel. For questions about network access, contact support@vybe.build.
Check that the public key is in the tunnel user’s authorized_keys file, and that the SSH host, port and username in the Tunnel Connection URL are right. Make sure the SSH server allows port forwarding (AllowTcpForwarding in its SSH config).
The database user in the URL can’t read those tables. Grant it SELECT on the schemas and tables you need.
Enforce Read Only is on, so writes are blocked. If you really want writes, delete the connection and connect it again with Enforce Read Only off.
The coworker needs access to that database, and its External Databases capability must be on. Ask it to request access, then approve the request.
Results are capped at 1,000 rows. Ask for a summary, add a LIMIT, or filter the query.