## Synopsis

Use the `CREATE DATABASE` statement to create a database that functions as a grouping mechanism for database objects, such as [tables](../ddl_create_table).

## Syntax

{{%ebnf%}}
  create_database,
  create_database_options
{{%/ebnf%}}

## Semantics

### *create_database*

### CREATE DATABASE *name*

Specify the name of the database to be created. An error is raised if a YSQL database of the given `name` already exists.

### *create_database_options*

### [ WITH ] OWNER *user_name*

Specify the role name of the user who will own the new database. When not specified, the database creator is the owner.

### TEMPLATE *template*

Specify the name of the template from which the new database is created.

### ENCODING *encoding*

Specify the character set encoding to use in the new database.

### LC_COLLATE *lc_collate*

Specify the collation order (`LC_COLLATE`).

### LC_CTYPE *lc_ctype*

Specify the character classification (`LC_CTYPE`).

### ALLOW_CONNECTIONS *allowconn*

Specify `false` to disallow connections to the database. Default is `true`, which allows connections to the database.

### CONNECTION_LIMIT *connlimit*

Specify how many concurrent connections can be made to this database. Default of `-1` allows unlimited concurrent connections.

### IS_TEMPLATE *istemplate*

`true` — This database can be cloned by any user with `CREATEDB` privileges.
Specify `false` to only superusers or the owner of the database can clone it.

### COLOCATION

Specify `true` if tables (and their indexes) for this database should be colocated on a single tablet by default. See [Colocated tables](../../../../../additional-features/colocation/) for details on when colocated tables are beneficial.

Default is `false` and every table in the database will have its own set of tablets.

### AS OF

Specify the [Unix timestamp](https://www.unixtimestamp.com/) (in microseconds) to create a clone of the original database at a specific point in time, within the history retention period specified when creating the snapshot schedule for the database. See [Instant database cloning](../../../../../manage/backup-restore/instant-db-cloning/).

## Examples

### Create a colocated database

```plpgsql
yugabyte=# CREATE DATABASE company WITH COLOCATION = true;
```

In this example, tables in the database `company` will be colocated on a single tablet by default.

## See also

- [`ALTER DATABASE`](../ddl_alter_db)
- [`DROP DATABASE`](../ddl_drop_database)