---
title: influxctl database create
description: The influxctl database create command creates a new database in an InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated cluster.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/cli/influxctl/database/create/
estimated_tokens: 2476
product: InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated
version: cloud-dedicated
---

# influxctl database create

The `influxctl database create` command creates a new database with a specified retention period in an InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated cluster.

The retention period defines the maximum age of data retained in the database, based on the timestamp of the data. The retention period value is a time duration value made up of a numeric value plus a duration unit. For example, `30d` means 30 days. A zero duration retention period is infinite and data will not expire. The retention period value cannot be negative or contain whitespace.

##### Valid durations units include

-   **m**: minute
-   **h**: hour
-   **d**: day
-   **w**: week
-   **mo**: month
-   **y**: year

##### Example retention period values

-   `0d`: infinite/none
-   `3d`: 3 days
-   `6w`: 6 weeks
-   `1mo`: 1 month (30 days)
-   `1y`: 1 year
-   `30d30d`: 60 days
-   `2.5d`: 60 hours

#### Custom partitioning

You can override the default partition template (`%Y-%m-%d`) of the database with the `--template-tag`, `--template-tag-bucket`, and `--template-timeformat` flags when you create the database. Provide a time format using [Rust strftime](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/custom-partitions/partition-templates/#time-part-templates), partition by specific tag, or partition tag values into a specified number of “buckets.” Each of these can be used as part of the partition template. Be sure to follow [partitioning best practices](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/custom-partitions/best-practices/).

#### Always provide a time format when using custom partitioning

If defining a custom partition template for your database with any of the `--template-*` flags, always include the `--template-timeformat` flag with a time format to use in your partition template. Otherwise, InfluxDB omits time from the partition template and won’t compact partitions.

#### Wait before writing to a new database with the same name as a deleted database

After deleting a database from your InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated cluster, you can reuse the name to create a new database, but **wait two to three minutes** after deleting the previous database before writing to the new database to allow write caches to clear.

## Usage

```sh
influxctl database create [flags] <DATABASE_NAME>
```

## Arguments

| Argument | Description |
| --- | --- |
| DATABASE_NAME | InfluxDB database name |

## Flags

| Flag |  | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | --retention-period | Database retention period (default is 0s, infinite) |
|  | --max-tables | Maximum tables per database (default is 500, 0 uses default) |
|  | --max-columns | Maximum columns per table (default is 250, 0 uses default) |
|  | --template-tag | Tag to add to partition template (can include multiple of this flag) |
|  | --template-tag-bucket | Tag and number of buckets to partition tag values into separated by a comma–for example: tag1,100 (can include multiple of this flag) |
|  | --template-timeformat | Timestamp format for partition template (default is %Y-%m-%d) |
| -h | --help | Output command help |

*Also see [`influxctl` global flags](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/cli/influxctl/#global-flags).*

## Examples

-   [Create a database with an infinite retention period](#create-a-database-with-an-infinite-retention-period)
-   [Create a database with a 30-day retention period](#create-a-database-with-a-30-day-retention-period)
-   [Create a database with non-default table and column limits](#create-a-database-with-non-default-table-and-column-limits)
-   [Create a database with a custom partition template](#create-a-database-with-a-custom-partition-template)

### Create a database with an infinite retention period

```sh
influxctl database create mydb
```

### Create a database with a 30-day retention period

```sh
influxctl database create \
  --retention-period 30d \
  mydb
```

### Create a database with non-default table and column limits

```sh
influxctl database create \
  --max-tables 200 \
  --max-columns 150 \
  mydb
```

### Create a database with a custom partition template

The following example creates a new `mydb` database and applies a partition template that partitions by two tags (`room` and `sensor-type`) and by day using the time format `%Y-%m-%d`:

```sh
influxctl database create \
  --template-tag room \
  --template-tag sensor-type \
  --template-tag-bucket customerID,1000 \
  --template-timeformat '%Y-%m-%d' \
  mydb
```

*For more information about custom partitioning, see [Manage data partitioning](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/custom-partitions/).*

[](#view-command-updates)

View command updates

#### v2.7.0

-   Introduce the `--template-tag-bucket` flag to group tag values into buckets and partition by each tag bucket.

#### v2.5.0

-   Introduce the `--template-tag` and `--template-timeformat` flags that define a custom partition template for a database.
    

#### Related

-   [Define custom partitions](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/custom-partitions/define-custom-partitions/)
-   [Partition templates](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/custom-partitions/partition-templates/)