> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.jethings.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Setup Database Repo

> Clone the jethings-database repo and configure your local environment for migrations

This page covers getting the `jethings-database` repo running locally so you can generate, test, and apply Prisma migrations against the right database depending on your role (dev-responsible, prod-responsible, or general contributor).

## 1. Clone the repo

```bash theme={null}
git clone <jethings-database-repo-url>
cd jethings-database
```

## 2. Install dependencies

```bash theme={null}
pnpm install
```

## 3. Create your environment file

If you're a **developer working locally**, create `.env.local`:

```dotenv .env.local theme={null}
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:password@address:port/db"
```

<Info>
  `.env.local` always points at your **local Postgres instance** (or a tunneled dev DB — see below). This is the file every `*:local` script in `package.json` reads via `dotenv -e .env.local`.
</Info>

## Which env files you need, by role

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="You are responsible for the dev database">
    You need both:

    * `.env.local` — points at your local DB for writing/testing migrations
    * `.env.dev` — points at the dev VPS DB, used to actually apply migrations there once approved

    ```dotenv .env.dev theme={null}
        DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:password@address:port/db"
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="You are responsible for the production database">
    You only need `.env.prod`:

    ```dotenv .env.prod theme={null}
        DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:password@address:port/db"
    ```

    Production migrations are never run against a tunneled local session — they're run directly on the VPS (see the [Production Migration](/migration/database-migration/production) page).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Neither — you're just contributing schema changes">
    You only need `.env.local`. You don't apply anything to dev or prod yourself — that's handled by whoever owns that environment, per the [Developer](/migration/database-migration/developer) and [Reviewer](/migration/database-migration/reviewer) workflow pages.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Connecting to the VPS to run migrations directly

If you're the one responsible for dev or prod, migrations on the VPS itself are run by:

1. SSH-ing into the VPS
2. `cd`-ing into the Database repo location on the server
3. Running the relevant `db:bootstrap:prod` command there (covered on the following pages)

## Tip: tunnel the dev DB to your machine instead of editing `.env.dev` remotely

If you're the dev-responsible person and want to handle migration dev on your local side for better handling the workflow or want to inspect/query the dev DB from your own machine (e.g. via Prisma Studio or a GUI client) without SSHing in every time, open an SSH tunnel:

```bash theme={null}
ssh -f -N -L 5435:localhost:5432 user@address
```

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="ssh -f -N -L 5435:localhost:5432 user@address">
    Breaking this down:

    * **`-L 5435:localhost:5432`** — the core of the tunnel. Forwards your local port `5435` to `localhost:5432` **as seen from the VPS** (i.e. the VPS's own Postgres, listening only on its own loopback). Anything you send to `localhost:5435` on your machine actually reaches Postgres on the remote server.
    * **`-f`** — puts SSH in the background immediately after authentication, so it doesn't block your terminal. You get your prompt back while the tunnel stays alive.
    * **`-N`** — tells SSH not to execute any remote command or open a shell — you only want the port forward, not an interactive session.
    * **`user@address`** — the SSH user and host of the VPS, same credentials you'd use to SSH in normally.

    After running it, you'll be prompted for the SSH password (or it'll use your key if configured).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

Once the tunnel is up, set `.env.dev` to point at the **local end of the tunnel**, not the VPS's real address:

```dotenv .env.dev theme={null}
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:password@localhost:5435/db"
```

<Tip>
  This lets you run `db:bootstrap:dev`, `prisma:studio:dev` or inspect the dev schema directly from your machine, safely, without opening Postgres to the internet or needing a new firewall rule. Kill the tunnel when done: find the process with `ps aux | grep 5435` and `kill` it, or just close the terminal session if you didn't use `-f`.
</Tip>