Local database

The starter uses Drizzle ORM with @libsql/client. Development runs against a SQLite file in packages/database; no Turso account, token, CLI, or database server is required.

Configure and initializeCopy Anchor Link

Add the database settings to .env.local at the repository root:

DATABASE_URL="file:./local.db"
DATABASE_AUTH_TOKEN=""

Relative file: URLs resolve from packages/database in both applications and database commands. This configuration creates packages/database/local.db. Database files and SQLite journal/WAL files are Git-ignored. You can also use an absolute file URL such as file:/absolute/path/local.db.

pnpm install
pnpm --filter @repo/database migrate
pnpm dev

Set BETTER_AUTH_SECRET and the app URLs in .env.local as well. Use port 4000 for SaaS, 4001 for marketing, and 4002 for docs. The default Resend mail provider initializes at startup, so set RESEND_API_KEY to your development mail key. The database itself needs no cloud credentials.

Change the schemaCopy Anchor Link

The active schema is packages/database/drizzle/schema/sqlite.ts. Better Auth uses the Drizzle adapter with the SQLite provider. Query helpers and Zod schemas are exported through @repo/database.

Generate a migration after editing the schema, review the SQL under packages/database/drizzle/migrations, and apply it:

pnpm --filter @repo/database generate
pnpm --filter @repo/database migrate

For a disposable development database, you can push schema changes directly:

pnpm --filter @repo/database push

push creates no migration history. Use migrations for databases that need a durable, repeatable upgrade path. Running pnpm dev does not apply migrations.

Inspect the local database with Drizzle Studio:

pnpm --filter @repo/database studio

SQLite is the model source. PostgreSQL/MySQL Drizzle schema files remain as inactive starter alternatives. All persistence uses the single Drizzle query layer; the project has no Prisma configuration or direct dependency.

Use Turso CloudCopy Anchor Link

Replace the environment values with the database URL and token from Turso:

DATABASE_URL="libsql://your-db-name-your-org.turso.io"
DATABASE_AUTH_TOKEN="your-auth-token"

Apply the migrations with pnpm --filter @repo/database migrate and restart the application. This initializes the remote schema; it does not upload the contents of the local SQLite file or migrate an existing PostgreSQL database.

See Turso local development and Drizzle with Turso for the supported connection options.