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Towbar provides reviewed presets for eight database engines. Each preset defines an immutable default image, native data volume, authenticated health check, resource defaults, backup format, and fresh-target restore workflow. The resource manifest declares which environment-variable names the database needs. Their values stay out of Git and are saved separately for each Towbar environment under Resource → Settings → Secrets.

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Choose an engine

PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL 17 on amd64 or arm64, with pg_dump and pg_restore recovery.

MySQL

MySQL 8.4 on amd64 or arm64 with native logical backups.

MariaDB

MariaDB 11.8 on amd64 or arm64 with MariaDB-native backup tools.

MongoDB

MongoDB 8.0 on amd64 or arm64 with authenticated archive backups.

Redis

Redis 8 with password authentication and verified RDB snapshots.

Dragonfly

Dragonfly 1.33 with the Redis protocol and verified RDB snapshots.

KeyDB

KeyDB 6.3 for amd64 servers with Redis-compatible access and recovery.

ClickHouse

ClickHouse 25.8 on amd64 or arm64 with native archive backups.

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Compatibility matrix

The generated resource JSON Schema contains the reviewed image digests. Custom images must use an immutable digest and match the supported major version. Towbar rejects KeyDB on arm64 during admission.

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Declarative runtime inputs

Every database guide includes a complete resource file with secrets.runtime. That list is part of the Git-reviewed deployment contract; it contains key names only. A deployment remains blocked until every declared key has a value in the selected Towbar environment. Towbar also enforces the credential keys its authenticated health check and backup implementation require. Declaring the same keys in the manifest makes those inputs visible during review and keeps custom initialization settings beside the resource definition.
Database image initialization variables usually apply only when the data volume is empty. Changing a saved value later does not modify users, databases, or passwords already stored in an initialized database. Perform those changes inside the database first, then update Towbar’s saved value.

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Persistence and networking

Each preset receives one managed volume at its engine-native data path. Apps and resources on the same server can join a named container.network; the resource ID becomes its default network alias. Optional access.sshTunnel.hostPort binds only to 127.0.0.1 on the server for access through an SSH tunnel. Environment overrides may select different servers, resource limits, networks, and tunnel ports. Secret names stay common to the resource, while their values remain independent for production, staging, and other connected environments.

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Backup and restore boundary

All eight presets support Towbar-managed database backups and fresh-target restores. Recovery requires the same engine and supported major version recorded by the backup. Towbar does not use restore as an in-place major upgrade or cross-engine conversion. Practice recovery with representative data before relying on a backup policy. A successful upload or checksum does not prove that the application can use the restored database.
Last modified on September 22, 2026