---
title: How to Connect with the Python Client
nextjs:
  metadata:
    title: How to Connect with the Python Client
    description: A guide to show how to connect with the Python Client for TerminusDB and TerminusDB.
    openGraph:
      images: https://assets.terminusdb.com/docs/python-client-use-connect.png
    alternates:
      canonical: https://terminusdb.org/docs/connect-with-python-client/
media: []
---

First, you should install the Python client. For installation instructions, see [the Python install instructions](/docs/install-the-python-client/).

## Connecting with the Python Client

Depending on whether you are connecting to an instance you have set up yourself, or whether you are using DFRNT TerminusDB in the cloud, there are two different methods of connection.

In both cases, you should load TerminusDB in your script with the following:

```python
from terminusdb_client import Client
```

### DFRNT TerminusDB cloud

The DFRNT TerminusDB endpoint has the form `https://dfrnt.com/api/hosted/TEAM/` where `TEAM` is your username or the team you are using in DFRNT for the data products you want to access.

In order to connect to this team, you will need to [get your API key](/docs/how-to-connect-terminuscms/) after selecting the team you want to use.

You should put your access token in your environment, using the environment variable `TERMINUSDB_ACCESS_TOKEN`. This ensures that scripts do not leak the access token when checked into source control.

```bash
export TERMINUSDB_ACCESS_TOKEN="..."
```

At this point, you can connect with the API key using the code:

```python
team="MyTeam"
client.connect(team=team, use_token=True)
```

### Connecting to a TerminusDB installation

Whether you are connecting to a local docker, a local server, or on a server that you've set up somewhere, you can use the following to log in to TerminusDB.

```python
team="MyTeam",
client = Client("http://localhost:6363/")
client.connect(team=team, password="MyPassword")
```

If you are using TerminusDB locally, and you have not set up a specific team, or changed the password differently from the default, you can simply connect with:

```python
team="admin",
client = Client("http://localhost:6363/")
client.connect(team=team)
```