# Get a database

> Get one database by id without waking it.

> Nevia is in beta and open to selected teams. Public launch in Dec 2026. The CLI installs with `curl -fsSL https://get.nevia.cloud | sh`, and the MCP server is at https://api.nevia.cloud/mcp. A person signs in once in the browser.
> Setup, sign-in and requesting access: [SKILL.md](https://nevia.cloud/SKILL.md). When Nevia fits and when it doesn't: [why.md](https://nevia.cloud/why.md).

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://nevia.cloud/llms.txt). This page's HTML version: https://nevia.cloud/docs/reference/api/databases/getDatabase

`GET https://api.nevia.cloud/v1/databases/{db}`

## Authorization

- `bearerAuth`: HTTP bearer in the Authorization header

Send the token in the `Authorization: Bearer <token>` header. See [Authenticate](https://nevia.cloud/docs/reference/api.md#authenticate).

## Parameters

| Name | In | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `db` | path | string | yes | Database id: 27 lowercase letters and digits. Match `^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{1,64}$`. |

## Example request

### cURL

```bash
curl -X GET "https://api.nevia.cloud/v1/databases/01d4cnjkgq02b6tfqvy8yh391pq" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN"
```

### JavaScript

```js
fetch("https://api.nevia.cloud/v1/databases/01d4cnjkgq02b6tfqvy8yh391pq", {
  method: "GET",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${process.env.TOKEN}`
  }
})
```

### Python

```python
import os
import requests

url = "https://api.nevia.cloud/v1/databases/01d4cnjkgq02b6tfqvy8yh391pq"

response = requests.request("GET", url, headers = {
  "Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['TOKEN']}"
})

print(response.text)
```

## Responses

### 200

The database.

Content type: `application/json`

Schema: `DatabaseResponse`

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `database` | Database | yes | A managed Postgres database. |
| `operations` | array<OperationId> | yes | Operations this request started. |

Example:

```json
{
  "database": {
    "id": "01d4cnjkgq02b6tfqvy8yh391pq",
    "workspace": "01d4cnjjq40hnnh0nwmkg35nv2h",
    "name": "api-staging",
    "state": "ready",
    "pending": null,
    "engine": "postgres",
    "version": "18.6",
    "host": "01d4cnjkgq02b6tfqvy8yh391pq.live.nevia.cloud",
    "port": 5432,
    "parent": null,
    "from_checkpoint": "01d4cnjkwhftngfp8vkmp723mhv",
    "generation": 1,
    "protected": false,
    "error": null,
    "created_at": "2026-09-10T12:34:56Z",
    "deleted_at": "2026-09-10T12:34:56Z"
  },
  "operations": [
    "01d4cnjm89yk0r3xtv80dy0x7by"
  ]
}
```

### 400

`validation_failed`: malformed body, unknown field, or invalid id or name. Fix `details.field` and retry.

Content type: `application/json`

Schema: `ErrorEnvelope`

Body of every error response

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `error` | Error | yes |  |

Example `validation_failed`:

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "validation_failed",
    "message": "Unknown field `colour` in the request body. Remove it; request bodies are strict.",
    "details": {
      "field": "colour",
      "in": "body"
    },
    "request_id": "req_01j9k3m2p7q4r8s1"
  }
}
```

### 401

`unauthorized`: the credential is missing, malformed, expired, or revoked. Send a valid bearer token.

Content type: `application/json`

Schema: `ErrorEnvelope`

Body of every error response

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `error` | Error | yes |  |

Example `unauthorized`:

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "unauthorized",
    "message": "Missing credential. Send `Authorization: Bearer <token>` with an access token.",
    "details": {},
    "request_id": "req_01j9k3m2p7q4r8s1"
  }
}
```

### 404

`not_found`: the database does not exist, or you cannot see it. Both return the same response.

Content type: `application/json`

Schema: `ErrorEnvelope`

Body of every error response

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `error` | Error | yes |  |

Example `not_found`:

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "not_found",
    "message": "Database 01d4cnjkgq02b6tfqvy8yh391pq was not found. List the databases you can access with GET /v1/databases?workspace=<ws>.",
    "details": {
      "database": "01d4cnjkgq02b6tfqvy8yh391pq"
    },
    "request_id": "req_01j9k3m2p7q4r8s1"
  }
}
```

### 429

`rate_limited`: slow down. Retry after `Retry-After`.

Content type: `application/json`

Schema: `ErrorEnvelope`

Body of every error response

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `error` | Error | yes |  |

Example `rate_limited`:

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "rate_limited",
    "message": "Too many requests. Retry after 2 seconds.",
    "details": {
      "retry_after_seconds": 2
    },
    "request_id": "req_01j9k3m2p7q4r8s1"
  }
}
```

### 500

`request_failed`, or the failed action's own code, such as `creation_failed`, `authorization_failed` or `command_execution_failed`. Quote `request_id` when reporting. The diagnostic stays in server logs.

Content type: `application/json`

Schema: `ErrorEnvelope`

Body of every error response

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `error` | Error | yes |  |

Example `request_failed`:

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "request_failed",
    "message": "request failed",
    "details": {},
    "request_id": "req_01j9k3m2p7q4r8s1"
  }
}
```

### 503

The action is temporarily unavailable, named by its code (`creation_failed`, `wake_failed`, ...). Wait at least `Retry-After` seconds (60 by default). `details.retryable` says whether repeating the request is safe. Keep the original `Idempotency-Key`. Signing in again does not help.

Content type: `application/json`

Schema: `ErrorEnvelope`

Body of every error response

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `error` | Error | yes |  |

Example `creation_failed`:

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "creation_failed",
    "message": "The computer could not be created. Try again later, and quote request_id if it persists.",
    "details": {
      "retryable": true
    },
    "request_id": "req_01j9k3m2p7q4r8s1"
  }
}
```