Skip to content

How to switch database using PostgreSQL

A quick explanation of how to switch between databases inside the `psql` tool in PostgreSQL

Inside psql, you always have one active database, where you are “into”. By default it’s the one you connect to in the first place. When you run:

psql postgres

you’ll connect to the postgres database.

To switch database, use the \connect command, or \c:

Switch database in PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL will close the connection to the previous database you were connected to, and will connect to the new one you specified.


→ I wrote 17 books to help you become a better developer:

  • C Handbook
  • Command Line Handbook
  • CSS Handbook
  • Express Handbook
  • Git Cheat Sheet
  • Go Handbook
  • HTML Handbook
  • JS Handbook
  • Laravel Handbook
  • Next.js Handbook
  • Node.js Handbook
  • PHP Handbook
  • Python Handbook
  • React Handbook
  • SQL Handbook
  • Svelte Handbook
  • Swift Handbook
...download them all now!

Also, JOIN MY CODING BOOTCAMP, an amazing cohort course that will be a huge step up in your coding career - covering React, Next.js - next edition February 2025

Bootcamp 2025

Join the waiting list