--- title: Set up InfluxDB description: Learn how to set up InfluxDB for the “Get started with InfluxDB” tutorial. url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/cloud/get-started/setup/ estimated_tokens: 3894 product: InfluxDB Cloud (TSM) version: cloud publisher: InfluxData canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/cloud/get-started/setup/ date: '2026-04-20T11:26:19-05:00' lastmod: '2026-04-20T11:26:19-05:00' --- * 1 / 5 As you get started with this tutorial, do the following to make sure everything you need is in place. 1. (Optional) **Download, install, and configure the `influx` CLI**. The `influx` CLI provides a simple way to interact with InfluxDB from a command line. For detailed installation and setup instructions, see [Use the influx CLI](/influxdb/cloud/tools/influx-cli/). 2. **Create an All-Access API token.** Use the **InfluxDB UI**, **`influx` CLI**, or **InfluxDB API** to create an All-Access token. #### InfluxDB UI #### 1. Visit [cloud2.influxdata.com](https://cloud2.influxdata.com) in a browser to log in and access the InfluxDB UI. 2. Navigate to **Load Data** \> **API Tokens** using the left navigation bar. 3. Click **+ Generate API token** and select**All Access API Token**. 4. Enter a description for the API token and click **✓ Save**. 5. Copy the generated token and store it for safe keeping. 1. If you haven’t already, [download, install, and configure the `influx` CLI](/influxdb/cloud/tools/influx-cli/). 2. Use the [`influx auth create` command](/influxdb/cloud/reference/cli/influx/auth/create/)to create an All-Access token. **Provide the following**: * `--all-access` flag * `--host` flag with your [InfluxDB region URL](/influxdb/cloud/reference/regions/) * `-o, --org` or `--org-id` flags with your InfluxDB organization name or[ID](/influxdb/cloud/admin/organizations/view-orgs/#view-your-organization-id) * `-t, --token` flag with your Operator token ``` influx auth create \ --all-access \ --host http://cloud2.influxdata.com \ --org \ --token ``` 3. Copy the generated token and store it for safe keeping. Send a request to the InfluxDB API `/api/v2/authorizations` endpoint using the `POST` request method. ``` POST http://cloud2.influxdata.com/api/v2/authorizations ``` Include the following with your request: * **Headers**: * **Authorization**: Token \ * **Content-Type**: application/json * **Request body**: JSON body with the following properties: * **status**: `"active"` * **description**: API token description * **orgID**: [InfluxDB organization ID](/influxdb/cloud/admin/organizations/view-orgs/#view-your-organization-id) * **permissions**: Array of objects where each object represents permissions for an InfluxDB resource type or a specific resource. Each permission contains the following properties: * **action**: “read” or “write” * **resource**: JSON object that represents the InfluxDB resource to grant permission to. Each resource contains at least the following properties: * **orgID**: [InfluxDB organization ID](/influxdb/cloud/admin/organizations/view-orgs/#view-your-organization-id) * **type**: Resource type.*For information about what InfluxDB resource types exist, use the[`/api/v2/resources` endpoint](/influxdb/cloud/api/resources/).* The following example uses cURL and the InfluxDB API to generate an All-Access token: ``` export INFLUX_HOST=http://cloud2.influxdata.com export INFLUX_ORG_ID= export INFLUX_TOKEN= curl --request POST \ "$INFLUX_HOST/api/v2/authorizations" \ --header "Authorization: Token $INFLUX_TOKEN" \ --header "Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8" \ --data '{ "status": "active", "description": "All access token for get started tutorial", "orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "permissions": [ {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "authorizations"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "authorizations"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "buckets"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "buckets"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "dashboards"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "dashboards"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "orgs"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "orgs"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "sources"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "sources"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "tasks"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "tasks"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "telegrafs"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "telegrafs"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "users"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "users"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "variables"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "variables"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "scrapers"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "scrapers"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "secrets"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "secrets"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "labels"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "labels"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "views"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "views"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "documents"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "documents"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "notificationRules"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "notificationRules"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "notificationEndpoints"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "notificationEndpoints"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "checks"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "checks"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "dbrp"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "dbrp"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "notebooks"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "notebooks"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "annotations"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "annotations"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "remotes"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "remotes"}}, {"action": "read", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "replications"}}, {"action": "write", "resource": {"orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "type": "replications"}} ] } ' ``` [](#) The response body contains a JSON object with the following properties: * **id**: API Token ID * **token**: API Token (Important) * **status**: Token status * **description**: Token description * **orgID**: InfluxDB organization ID the token is associated with * **org**: InfluxDB organization name the token is associated with * **userID**: User ID the token is associated with * **user**: Username the token is associated with * **permissions**: List of permissions for organization resources **Copy the generated `token` and store it for safe keeping.** > [!Note] > We recommend using a password manager or a secret store to securely store > sensitive tokens. 3. **Configure authentication credentials**. As you go through this tutorial, interactions with InfluxDB Cloud require your InfluxDB **host**, **organization name or ID**, and your **API token**. There are different methods for providing these credentials depending on which client you use to interact with InfluxDB. > [!Note] > When configuring your token, use the [All-Access token you created](#create-an-all-access-api-token). #### InfluxDB UI #### When managing InfluxDB through the InfluxDB UI, authentication credentials are provided automatically using credentials associated with the user you log in with. There are three ways to provided authentication credentials to the `influx` CLI: [](#cli-connection-configurations-recommended) CLI connection configurations *(Recommended)* The `influx` CLI lets you specify connection configuration presets that let you store and quickly switch between multiple sets of InfluxDB connection credentials. Use the [`influx config create` command](/influxdb/cloud/reference/cli/influx/config/create/)to create a new CLI connection configuration. Include the following flags: * `-n, --config-name`: Connection configuration name. This examples uses `get-started`. * `-u, --host-url`: [InfluxDB region URL](/influxdb/cloud/reference/regions/). * `-o, --org`: InfluxDB organization name. * `-t, --token`: InfluxDB API token. ``` influx config create \ --config-name get-started \ --host-url http://cloud2.influxdata.com \ --org \ --token ``` *For more information about CLI connection configurations, see[Install and use the `influx` CLI](/influxdb/cloud/tools/influx-cli/#set-up-the-influx-cli).* [](#environment-variables) Environment variables The `influx` CLI checks for specific environment variables and, if present, uses those environment variables to populate authentication credentials. Set the following environment variables in your command line session: * `INFLUX_HOST`: [InfluxDB region URL](/influxdb/cloud/reference/urls/). * `INFLUX_ORG`: InfluxDB organization name. * `INFLUX_ORG_ID`: InfluxDB [organization ID](/influxdb/cloud/admin/organizations/view-orgs/#view-your-organization-id). * `INFLUX_TOKEN`: InfluxDB API token. ``` export INFLUX_HOST=http://cloud2.influxdata.com export INFLUX_ORG= export INFLUX_ORG_ID= export INFLUX_TOKEN= ``` [](#command-flags) Command flags Use the following `influx` CLI flags to provide required credentials to commands: * `--host`: [InfluxDB region URL](/influxdb/cloud/reference/regions/). * `-o`, `--org` or `--org-id`: InfluxDB organization name or[ID](/influxdb/cloud/admin/organizations/view-orgs/#view-your-organization-id). * `-t`, `--token`: InfluxDB API token. > [!Note] > All `influx` CLI examples in this getting started tutorial assume your InfluxDB**host**, **organization**, and **token** are provided by either the[active `influx` CLI configuration](/influxdb/cloud/reference/cli/influx/#provide-required-authentication-credentials)or by environment variables. When using the InfluxDB API, provide the required connection credentials in the following ways: * **InfluxDB host**: Your [InfluxDB Cloud region URL](/influxdb/cloud/reference/regions/). * **InfluxDB API Token**: Include an `Authorization` header that uses either`Bearer` or `Token` scheme and your InfluxDB API token. For example: `Authorization: Bearer 0xxx0o0XxXxx00Xxxx000xXXxoo0==`. * **InfluxDB organization name or ID**: Depending on the API endpoint used, pass this as part of the URL path, query string, or in the request body. All API examples in this tutorial use **cURL** from a command line. To provide all the necessary credentials to the example cURL commands, set the following environment variables in your command line session. ``` export INFLUX_HOST=http://cloud2.influxdata.com export INFLUX_ORG= export INFLUX_ORG_ID= export INFLUX_TOKEN= ``` 4. **Create a bucket**. Use the **InfluxDB UI**, **`influx` CLI**, or **InfluxDB API** to create a new bucket. #### InfluxDB UI #### 1. Visit [cloud2.influxdata.com](https://cloud2.influxdata.com) in a browser to log in and access the InfluxDB UI. 2. Navigate to **Load Data** \> **Buckets** using the left navigation bar. 3. Click **+ Create bucket**. 4. Provide a bucket name (get-started) and select Neverto create a bucket with an infinite [retention period](/influxdb/cloud/reference/glossary/#retention-period). 5. Click **Create**. 1. If you haven’t already, [download, install, and configure the `influx` CLI](/influxdb/cloud/tools/influx-cli/). 2. Use the [`influx bucket create` command](/influxdb/cloud/reference/cli/influx/bucket/create/)to create a new bucket. **Provide the following**: * `-n, --name` flag with the bucket name. * [Connection and authentication credentials](#configure-authentication-credentials) ``` influx bucket create --name get-started ``` To create a bucket using the InfluxDB HTTP API, send a request to the InfluxDB API `/api/v2/buckets` endpoint using the `POST` request method. ``` POST http://cloud2.influxdata.com/api/v2/buckets ``` Include the following with your request: * **Headers**: * **Authorization**: Token `INFLUX_TOKEN` * **Content-Type**: `application/json` * **Request body**: JSON object with the following properties: * **org**: InfluxDB organization name * **name**: Bucket name * **retentionRules**: List of retention rule objects that define the bucket’s retention period. Each retention rule object has the following properties: * **type**: `"expire"` * **everySeconds**: Retention period duration in seconds.`0` indicates the retention period is infinite. ``` export INFLUX_HOST=http://cloud2.influxdata.com export INFLUX_ORG_ID= export INFLUX_TOKEN= curl --request POST \ "$INFLUX_HOST/api/v2/buckets" \ --header "Authorization: Token $INFLUX_TOKEN" \ --header "Content-Type: application/json" \ --data '{ "orgID": "'"$INFLUX_ORG_ID"'", "name": "get-started", "retentionRules": [ { "type": "expire", "everySeconds": 0 } ] }' ``` [Get started](/influxdb/cloud/get-started/)[Write data](/influxdb/cloud/get-started/write/) #### Related * [Manage API tokens](/influxdb/cloud/admin/tokens/) * [Install and use the influx CLI](/influxdb/cloud/tools/influx-cli/)