---
title: Set up InfluxDB
description: Learn how to set up InfluxDB for the “Get started with InfluxDB” tutorial and for general use.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/get-started/setup/
estimated_tokens: 2687
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/get-started/setup/
date: '2026-05-15T15:46:14-06:00'
lastmod: '2026-05-15T15:46:14-06:00'
---

* 1 / 3

As you get started with this tutorial, do the following to make sure everything
you need is in place.

* [*Optional:* Download, install, and configure the influx CLI](#download-install-and-configure-the-influx-cli)
* [Create an All Access API token](#create-an-all-access-api-token)
* [Configure authentication credentials](#configure-authentication-credentials)
* [*Optional:* Create a bucket](#create-a-bucket)

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 the [`influx` CLI reference](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/cli/influx/).

2. **Create an All Access API token**.

   1. Go to [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.

      Load Data

   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.

   > [!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 Serverlessrequire your InfluxDB **URL** or **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, if you [created an all access token](#create-an-all-access-api-token),
> use that token to interact with InfluxDB. Otherwise, use your operator token.

   #### InfluxDB UI ####

   When managing InfluxDB Cloud Serverless through the InfluxDB UI,
   authentication credentials are provided automatically using credentials
   associated with the user you log in with.

   There are three ways to provide 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](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/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 Cloud Serverless region URL](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/regions/).
   * `-o, --org`: InfluxDB [organization name](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/admin/organizations/).
   * `-t, --token`: your [API token](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/get-started/setup/#create-an-all-access-api-token).

   ```
   influx config create \
     --config-name get-started \
     --host-url https://cloud2.influxdata.com \
     --org ORG_NAME \
     --token API_TOKEN
   ```

   *For more information about CLI connection configurations, see the[`influx config` command](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/cli/influx/config/).*

   [](#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 Cloud Serverless region URL](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/regions/).
   * `INFLUX_ORG`: InfluxDB [organization name or ID](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/admin/organizations/view-orgs/).
   * `INFLUX_TOKEN`: your [API token](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/get-started/setup/#create-an-all-access-api-token).

   #### MacOS and Linux ####

   ```
   export INFLUX_HOST=https://cloud2.influxdata.com
   export INFLUX_ORG=ORG_NAME
   export INFLUX_TOKEN=API_TOKEN
   ```

   ```
   $env:INFLUX_HOST = "https://cloud2.influxdata.com"
   $env:INFLUX_TOKEN = "API_TOKEN"
   $env:INFLUX_ORG = "ORG_NAME"
   ```

   ```
   set INFLUX_HOST=https://cloud2.influxdata.com
   set INFLUX_ORG=ORG_NAME
   set INFLUX_TOKEN=API_TOKEN
   # Make sure to include a space character at the end of this command.
   ```

   [](#command-flags)

   Command flags

   Use the following `influx` CLI flags to provide required credentials to commands:

   * `--host`: [InfluxDB Cloud Serverless region URL](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/regions/).
   * `-o`, `--org`: InfluxDB organization name or[ID](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/admin/organizations/view-orgs/#view-your-organization-id).
   * `-t`, `--token`: your [API token](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/get-started/setup/#create-an-all-access-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](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/cli/influx/#provide-required-authentication-credentials)or by environment variables.

   Telegraf examples in this getting started tutorial assumes you assigned an`INFLUX_TOKEN` environment variable to your InfluxDB **token**.

   #### MacOS and Linux ####

   ```
   export INFLUX_TOKEN=API_TOKEN
   ```

   ```
   $env:INFLUX_TOKEN = "API_TOKEN"
   ```

   ```
   set INFLUX_TOKEN=API_TOKEN
   # Make sure to include a space character at the end of this command.
   ```

   Replace the following:

   * **`API_TOKEN`**: an InfluxDB [API token](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/get-started/setup/#create-an-all-access-api-token) with sufficient permissions to your bucket

   API (cURL and client library) examples in this getting started tutorial assume you have
   environment variables assigned to your InfluxDB credentials.

   To assign environment variables to your credentials, enter the
   following commands into your profile settings or terminal:

   #### MacOS and Linux ####

   ```
   export INFLUX_HOST=https://cloud2.influxdata.com
   export INFLUX_ORG=ORG_NAME
   export INFLUX_TOKEN=API_TOKEN
   ```

   ```
   $env:INFLUX_HOST = "https://cloud2.influxdata.com"
   $env:INFLUX_ORG = "ORG_NAME"
   $env:INFLUX_TOKEN = "API_TOKEN"
   ```

   ```
   set INFLUX_HOST=https://cloud2.influxdata.com
   set INFLUX_ORG=ORG_NAME
   set INFLUX_TOKEN=API_TOKEN
   # Make sure to include a space character at the end of this command.
   ```

   Replace the following:

   * **`ORG_NAME`**: your InfluxDB organization name
   * **`ORG_ID`**: your InfluxDB organization ID
   * **`API_TOKEN`**: an InfluxDB [API token](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/get-started/setup/#create-an-all-access-api-token) with sufficient permissions to your bucket

   Keep the following in mind when using API clients and client libraries:

   * InfluxDB ignores `org` and `org_id` parameters in API write and query requests,
     but some clients still require the parameters.
   * Some clients use `host` to refer to your *hostname*, your[InfluxDB Cloud Serverless region URL](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/regions/)without `https://`.

   > [!Note]
> All API, cURL, and client library examples in this getting started tutorial assume your InfluxDB**host**, **organization**, **url**, and **token** are provided by environment variables.

4. Optional: **Create a bucket**.

   You can use an existing bucket or create a new one specifically for this
   getting started tutorial. All examples in this tutorial assume a bucket named**“get-started”**.

   Use the **InfluxDB UI**, **`influx` CLI**, or **InfluxDB API** to [create a
   bucket](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/admin/buckets/create-bucket/).

   #### InfluxDB UI ####

   1. Go to [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.

   Load Data

   1. Click **+ Create bucket**.

   2. Provide a bucket name (get-started) and select a[retention period](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/glossary/#retention-period).
      Supported retention periods depend on your InfluxDB Cloud Serverless plan.

   3. Click **Create**.

   1. If you haven’t already, [download, install, and configure the `influx` CLI](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/cli/influx/).

   2. Use the [`influx bucket create` command](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/cli/influx/bucket/create/)to create a new bucket.

      **Provide the following**:

      * `-n, --name` flag with the bucket name.
      * `-r, --retention` flag with the bucket’s retention period duration.
        Supported retention periods depend on your InfluxDB Cloud Serverless plan.
      * [Connection and authentication credentials](#configure-authentication-credentials)

   ```
   influx bucket create \
     --name get-started \
     --retention 7d
   ```

   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 https://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.
         Supported retention periods depend on your InfluxDB Cloud Serverless plan.

   ```
   curl --request POST \
   "https://cloud2.influxdata.com/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": 604800
         }
       ]
     }'
   ```

[Get started](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/get-started/)[Write data](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/get-started/write/)

#### Related

* [Manage buckets](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/admin/buckets/)
* [Use the InfluxDB documentation MCP server](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/mcp-server/)
* [influx - InfluxDB command line interface](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/cli/influx/)