# How to Connect Logto to a SQLite Database > Logto requires PostgreSQL for data storage and does not support SQLite. Learn why you cannot configure a SQLite connection in the DB_URL environment variable. - Repository: [Logto/logto](https://github.com/logto-io/logto) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-07-03 --- **Logto does not support SQLite databases and requires PostgreSQL for all data storage, meaning you cannot configure a SQLite connection string in the `DB_URL` environment variable.** Logto is an open-source identity and access management platform architecturally bound to PostgreSQL. While lightweight databases like SQLite are attractive for development or embedded deployments, the codebase explicitly expects a PostgreSQL DSN and will fail to initialize with any other database type. ## Why Logto Requires PostgreSQL Logto’s core data layer is built around the **PostgreSQL** database engine. According to the source code in [`packages/shared/src/node/env/GlobalValues.ts`](https://github.com/logto-io/logto/blob/main/packages/shared/src/node/env/GlobalValues.ts), the application reads the `DB_URL` environment variable and validates that it points to a PostgreSQL DSN. The underlying database driver is hardcoded to use `pg`, the official Node.js PostgreSQL client, which cannot communicate with SQLite file-based databases. The database connection flows through several critical components: - **[`packages/shared/src/node/env/GlobalValues.ts`](https://github.com/logto-io/logto/blob/main/packages/shared/src/node/env/GlobalValues.ts)** – Reads and validates `DB_URL` - **[`packages/cli/src/commands/install/utils.ts`](https://github.com/logto-io/logto/blob/main/packages/cli/src/commands/install/utils.ts)** – Generates `.env` files containing only PostgreSQL connection strings - **[`docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/logto-io/logto/blob/main/docker-compose.yml)** – Defines the official PostgreSQL service configuration ## The Technical Blockers for SQLite Support Connecting Logto to a SQLite database would require extensive architectural changes beyond simply changing a connection string. The codebase contains PostgreSQL-specific implementations at multiple layers. ### Database Driver Dependencies The `pg` driver is deeply integrated into the query execution layer. Replacing it with a SQLite-compatible driver like `sqlite3` would require rewriting the entire data access layer, as the connection pooling, query parameter binding, and result set handling differ significantly between PostgreSQL and SQLite clients. ### Schema Migrations and SQL Dialects All database schema definitions and migrations reside in `packages/schemas/alterations/` and are written exclusively for PostgreSQL syntax. These include PostgreSQL-specific data types, JSON operators, and DDL statements that have no SQLite equivalents. Rewriting these migrations would require maintaining a completely separate schema versioning system. ### Environment Configuration Constraints The CLI installation utilities in [`packages/cli/src/commands/install/utils.ts`](https://github.com/logto-io/logto/blob/main/packages/cli/src/commands/install/utils.ts) automatically generate `.env` files with PostgreSQL connection strings. There is no configuration pathway to specify SQLite file paths, and the environment validation logic rejects non-PostgreSQL DSNs during startup. ## Attempting to Use SQLite (And Why It Fails) If you attempt to bypass PostgreSQL and point Logto to a SQLite database, the application will crash during initialization. First, set up the environment variable with a SQLite path: ```bash # ❌ This configuration will fail export DB_URL="sqlite:///path/to/logto.db" pnpm start:dev ``` Logto will produce runtime errors because the `pg` driver cannot parse `sqlite://` protocols, and the migration runner in `packages/schemas` will fail to execute PostgreSQL-specific SQL against a SQLite file. The initialization sequence expects to connect to a running PostgreSQL server to perform version checks and migration table creation. ## Recommended PostgreSQL Setups for Development For lightweight development environments where you want minimal overhead, use a containerized PostgreSQL instance rather than attempting SQLite. Use the official Docker Compose configuration: ```bash # Start PostgreSQL via Docker docker-compose up -d postgres # Configure Logto with the local PostgreSQL DSN export DB_URL="postgres://postgres:p0stgr3s@localhost:5432/logto" pnpm start:dev ``` This approach satisfies Logto’s database requirements while keeping the setup ephemeral and development-friendly. ## Summary - **Logto requires PostgreSQL** specified via the `DB_URL` environment variable, as enforced in [`packages/shared/src/node/env/GlobalValues.ts`](https://github.com/logto-io/logto/blob/main/packages/shared/src/node/env/GlobalValues.ts). - **SQLite is not supported**; attempting to use a `sqlite://` connection string results in runtime errors and migration failures. - **The codebase uses the `pg` driver** exclusively, with no abstraction layer for other database engines. - **Schema migrations** in `packages/schemas/alterations/` contain PostgreSQL-specific SQL that cannot execute on SQLite. - **Use Docker** to run PostgreSQL locally for development instead of attempting SQLite workarounds. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can I use SQLite with Logto for local development? No. Logto’s architecture is specifically built for PostgreSQL, and the codebase contains no SQLite-compatible drivers or SQL dialects. Even for local development, you must connect to a PostgreSQL instance, which can be easily run via Docker using the provided [`docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/logto-io/logto/blob/main/docker-compose.yml) file. ### What happens if I set DB_URL to a SQLite connection string? Logto will fail to start. The application expects a PostgreSQL DSN in `DB_URL` and uses the `pg` driver to establish connections. When it encounters a `sqlite://` protocol or file path, the driver initialization fails, causing the server to exit with database connection errors before completing migrations. ### Where are the database migration scripts located? All migration scripts are stored in `packages/schemas/alterations/` and are written specifically for PostgreSQL. These scripts handle schema changes, data transformations, and version tracking using PostgreSQL-specific features and syntax that are incompatible with SQLite’s capabilities. ### Does Logto support other databases like MySQL or MongoDB? No. The current implementation only supports PostgreSQL. The data layer in [`packages/shared/src/node/env/GlobalValues.ts`](https://github.com/logto-io/logto/blob/main/packages/shared/src/node/env/GlobalValues.ts) validates PostgreSQL connection strings, and the query layer depends on PostgreSQL-specific features throughout the schema definitions and application code.