Datastores

Datastores are supported database and cache engines that Towbar configures with persistent storage, connection details, health checks, and backup and restore. Use a Service for any other OCI image. Use the Datastore manifest to review every declaration field. The engine guides show required runtime inputs and supported versions. Backups and restores cover recovery.

Supported types

Type	Use it for	Towbar behavior
`postgres`, `mysql`, `mariadb`	Relational databases	Readiness checks, persistent data volume, native backup and fresh-target restore
`mongodb`	Document databases	Authenticated health checks, persistent data volume, native backup and fresh-target restore
`redis`, `dragonfly`, `keydb`	Redis-compatible data	Password protection, persistent snapshot, backup and fresh-target restore
`clickhouse`	Analytical databases	Authenticated checks, persistent data, native backup and restore

Managed engines have reviewed digest-pinned defaults. Custom managed images must use a digest and the supported major version. See Engine guides for versions, architectures, declarative runtime inputs, and restore boundaries.

Datastore state and the latest deployment attempt are shown separately.

Add a database

version: 2
environments:
  production: {}

id: database
name: Primary database
type: postgres
container:
  network: app-network
  resources:
    cpus: 1
    memory: 1g
access:
  sshTunnel:
    hostPort: 15432
secrets:
  runtime:
    - POSTGRES_USER
    - POSTGRES_DB
    - POSTGRES_PASSWORD
environments:
  production:
    server: 192.0.2.10

Register the server, then save values for the declared keys under Datastore → Settings → Secrets. The manifest contains their names, while production and staging keep independent encrypted values in Towbar. Each database guide lists the required keys and initialization behavior for its engine. Deploy the datastore, wait for its health check to pass, and verify connectivity from the intended client.

Connect privately

Services and datastores on the same host can share a named network. The datastore ID becomes its alias unless you set another one:

.towbar/datastores/database.datastore.yml

container:
  network: app-network
  networkAlias: database
access:
  sshTunnel:
    hostPort: 15432

Towbar creates a missing bridge network and reuses an existing one. The SSH tunnel port binds only to the server’s 127.0.0.1; it does not create a public route.

Persist data

Every datastore receives a managed data volume. Deployment and image rollback are not database migration tools: plan engine upgrades and schema compatibility separately. Changing POSTGRES_PASSWORD in Towbar does not rotate the password already stored inside an existing database. Coordinate that change with the database before replacing the running datastore.

Back up and restore

All eight managed engine presets support Towbar-managed backup and restore. Enable an S3, Cloudflare R2, or Google Cloud Storage runtime integration, reference its provider in the backup policy, and verify a fresh-target restore before relying on it. Read the restore procedure before production recovery.

Servers

Repositories

Services

Secrets

Deployments and access

Datastores

Supported types

Add a database

Connect privately

Persist data

Back up and restore

​Supported types

​Add a database

​Connect privately

​Persist data

​Back up and restore

Supported types

Add a database

Connect privately

Persist data

Back up and restore