# Your site's databases: create, rotate and remove

> Create a site's MariaDB or PostgreSQL database, rotate its password, and add or remove further databases.

Source: https://veldhost.eu/docs/site-databases

Last verified: 2026-11-13

A site that runs code (Custom PHP, Laravel, Node.js or WordPress) can have a managed **MariaDB** or **PostgreSQL** database next to it. It is kept off the public internet, and your app gets the connection details as environment variables. Everything here is on the site's **Databases** tab. A static site runs no code, so its tab offers **Create a site that can use a database** instead.

## Before you start

- The site has to be live: until it has finished setting up, the tab says the database appears here as soon as it has.
- To create, rotate or remove a database you need to be allowed to change the site's settings: an owner, admin or developer on the account, or a collaborator on the site.

## Create the site's database

A WordPress site is built with its database already set up and connected, and a Laravel site gets one when it first goes live. A Custom PHP or Node.js site starts without one:

1. Open [Sites](https://manage.veldhost.eu/portal/sites) → your site → **Databases**.
2. Under **Add a database**, pick an **Engine**: **PostgreSQL** (the default) or **MariaDB**.
3. Press **Add database — included**.

It takes about a minute; the tab shows *Setting up your database…* meanwhile. Then it shows the host, port, database name and username. The first time you open the tab after that, it also shows the password, once:

> **Here is your database password — copy it now, we won't show it again.**

Only people who may change the site's settings see it. Missed it? Rotate the password (below) to get a new one.

Your app does not need you to copy it. Under **How your app reads this** you see the variables we set inside your site, `DB_CONNECTION`, `DB_HOST`, `DB_PORT`, `DB_DATABASE`, `DB_USERNAME` and `DB_PASSWORD`, and your app picks them up on its own. Don't paste the password into a config file. If setting it up fails, the tab says why and offers **Retry**.

## Rotate the password

Press **Rotate password** and confirm. We set a new password and your app picks up the new one within a minute. The tab shows the new password once, the same way, and the **Password** column counts up its version. Rotate when someone who knew the password leaves, or when it may have leaked.

## Add another database

A site can have more than one database, each with its own name, engine, login and password. Your plan includes this many per site, counting the site's own database:

| Plan | Databases per site |
|---|---|
| Starter | 1 |
| Pro | 3 |
| Business | 10 |

Each one beyond that is €3 per database / month. The heading of the **Databases** band shows how many the site uses.

1. Under **Add a database**, pick the **Engine**.
2. Type a **Name**: lowercase letters, digits and underscores, starting with a letter, for example `analytics`.
3. Press **Add database — included**, or, beyond your plan, **Add database · PRICE** and confirm. It is added to your subscription straight away; you pay for the part of the period you use on your next invoice.

Adding a paid database is for an owner or billing contact of the account; anyone else sees what it costs and who can add it. If your last payment did not go through, update your payment method under [Billing](https://manage.veldhost.eu/portal/billing) first.

Your app reads a further database from variables that start with its name: `ANALYTICS_DB_HOST`, `ANALYTICS_DB_PASSWORD` and so on, plus `ANALYTICS_DATABASE_URL`. **How your app reads this** under each database lists them.

## Remove a database

You can remove the further databases you added. The site's own database is the one the app runs on, so it has no **Remove** button.

> **Caution:** removing a database deletes its data. The dialog says: "Its data goes with it. We keep a copy for seven days, then it is gone for good." Make sure nothing still uses it first, and [contact us](https://veldhost.eu/contact) within that time if you need it back.

1. Press **Remove** next to the database.
2. Type its name where the dialog asks, then press **Remove database**.

It stops counting towards your plan and your bill straight away.

## Move data into it

To bring an existing database over from another host, press **Move an existing database here** under the site's own database. See [Move an existing database into your site](https://veldhost.eu/docs/move-a-database-here).

## Look inside

- Browse and query it, read-only, in [Databases](https://veldhost.eu/docs/databases) under **Data**.
- Connect TablePlus, DBeaver or HeidiSQL through an SSH tunnel to the host and port shown on the tab. See [SSH, SFTP and database access](https://veldhost.eu/docs/ssh-sftp-access).

## Related

- [Databases: browse and query your site data](https://veldhost.eu/docs/databases)
- [Environment variables](https://veldhost.eu/docs/environment-variables)
- [Backups & one-click restore](https://veldhost.eu/docs/backups-and-restore)