# IBM Cloud Databases for PostgreSQL connection #

To access your data in IBM Cloud Databases for PostgreSQL, you must create a connection asset for it\.

IBM Cloud Databases for PostgreSQL is an open source object\-relational database that is highly customizable\. It’s a feature\-rich enterprise database with JSON support\.

## Create a connection to IBM Cloud Databases for PostgreSQL ##

To create the connection asset, you need the following connection details:

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 *  Database name
 *  Hostname or IP address of the database
 *  Port number
 *  Username and password
 *  SSL certificate (if required by the database server)

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For **Private connectivity**, to connect to a database that is not externalized to the internet (for example, behind a firewall), you must set up a [secure connection](https://dataplatform.cloud.ibm.com/docs/content/wsj/manage-data/securingconn.html)\.

### Choose the method for creating a connection based on where you are in the platform ###

**In a project** : Click **Assets > New asset > Connect to a data source**\. See [Adding a connection to a project](https://dataplatform.cloud.ibm.com/docs/content/wsj/manage-data/create-conn.html)\.

**In a deployment space** : Click **Add to space > Connection**\. See [Adding connections to a deployment space](https://dataplatform.cloud.ibm.com/docs/content/wsj/analyze-data/ml-space-add-assets.html)\.

**In the Platform assets catalog** : Click **New connection**\. See [Adding platform connections](https://dataplatform.cloud.ibm.com/docs/content/wsj/manage-data/platform-conn.html)\.

### Next step: Add data assets from the connection ###

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 *  See [Add data from a connection in a project](https://dataplatform.cloud.ibm.com/docs/content/wsj/manage-data/connected-data.html)\.

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## Where you can use this connection ##

You can use IBM Cloud Databases for PostgreSQL connections in the following workspaces and tools:

**Projects**

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 *  Notebooks\. Click **Read data** on the **Code snippets** pane to get the connection credentials and load the data into a data structure\. See [Load data from data source connections](https://dataplatform.cloud.ibm.com/docs/content/wsj/analyze-data/load-and-access-data.html#conns)\.
 *  SPSS Modeler
 *  Synthetic Data Generator

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**Catalogs**

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 *  Platform assets catalog

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## IBM Cloud Databases for PostgreSQL setup ##

[IBM Cloud Databases for PostgreSQL setup](https://cloud.ibm.com/catalog/services/databases-for-postgresql)

## Restriction ##

For SPSS Modeler, you can use this connection only to import data\. You cannot export data to this connection or to an IBM Cloud Databases for PostgreSQL connected data asset\.

### Running SQL statements ###

To ensure that your SQL statements run correctly, refer to the [IBM Cloud Databases for PostgreSQL documentation](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/ecpg-commands.html) for the correct syntax\.

## Learn more ##

[ IBM Cloud Databases for PostgreSQL documentation](https://cloud.ibm.com/catalog/services/databases-for-postgresql)

**Parent topic:**[Supported connections](https://dataplatform.cloud.ibm.com/docs/content/wsj/manage-data/conn_types.html)

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