---
name: claimable-postgres
description: Provision instant temporary Postgres databases via Claimable Postgres by Neon (neon.new) with no login, signup, or credit card. Supports REST API, CLI, and SDK. Use when users ask for a quick Postgres environment, a throwaway DATABASE_URL for prototyping/tests, or "just give me a DB...
risk: unknown
source: https://github.com/neondatabase/agent-skills/tree/main/skills/claimable-postgres
source_repo: neondatabase/agent-skills
source_type: official
date_added: 2026-07-01
license: Apache-2.0
license_source: https://github.com/neondatabase/agent-skills/blob/main/LICENSE
---

# Claimable Postgres
## When to Use

Use this skill when you need provision instant temporary Postgres databases via Claimable Postgres by Neon (neon.new) with no login, signup, or credit card. Supports REST API, CLI, and SDK. Use when users ask for a quick Postgres environment, a throwaway DATABASE_URL for prototyping/tests, or "just give me a DB...


Instant Postgres databases for local development, demos, prototyping, and test environments. No account required. Databases expire after 72 hours unless claimed to a Neon account.

## Quick Start

```bash
curl -s -X POST "https://neon.new/api/v1/database" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"ref": "agent-skills"}'
```

Parse `connection_string` and `claim_url` from the JSON response. Write `connection_string` to the project's `.env` as `DATABASE_URL`.

For other methods (CLI, SDK, Vite plugin), see [Which Method?](#which-method) below.

## Which Method?

- **REST API**: Returns structured JSON. No runtime dependency beyond `curl`. Preferred when the agent needs predictable output and error handling.
- **CLI** (`npx neon-new@latest --yes`): Provisions and writes `.env` in one command. Convenient when Node.js is available and the user wants a simple setup.
- **SDK** (`neon-new/sdk`): Scripts or programmatic provisioning in Node.js.
- **Vite plugin** (`vite-plugin-neon-new`): Auto-provisions on `vite dev` if `DATABASE_URL` is missing. Use when the user has a Vite project.
- **Browser**: User cannot run CLI or API. Direct to https://neon.new.

## REST API

**Base URL:** `https://neon.new/api/v1`

### Create a database

```bash
curl -s -X POST "https://neon.new/api/v1/database" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"ref": "agent-skills"}'
```

| Parameter                    | Required | Description                                                                                                           |
| ---------------------------- | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `ref`                        | Yes      | Tracking tag that identifies who provisioned the database. Use `"agent-skills"` when provisioning through this skill. |
| `enable_logical_replication` | No       | Enable logical replication (default: false, cannot be disabled once enabled)                                          |

The `connection_string` returned by the API is a pooled connection URL. For a direct (non-pooled) connection (e.g. Prisma migrations), remove `-pooler` from the hostname. The CLI writes both pooled and direct URLs automatically.

**Response:**

```json
{
  "id": "019beb39-37fb-709d-87ac-7ad6198b89f7",
  "status": "UNCLAIMED",
  "neon_project_id": "gentle-scene-06438508",
  "connection_string": "postgresql://...",
  "claim_url": "https://neon.new/claim/019beb39-...",
  "expires_at": "2026-01-26T14:19:14.580Z",
  "created_at": "2026-01-23T14:19:14.580Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-01-23T14:19:14.580Z"
}
```

### Check status

```bash
curl -s "https://neon.new/api/v1/database/{id}"
```

Returns the same response shape. Status transitions: `UNCLAIMED` -> `CLAIMING` -> `CLAIMED`. After the database is claimed, `connection_string` returns `null`.

### Error responses

| Condition              | HTTP | Message                          |
| ---------------------- | ---- | -------------------------------- |
| Missing or empty `ref` | 400  | `Missing referrer`               |
| Invalid database ID    | 400  | `Database not found`             |
| Invalid JSON body      | 500  | `Failed to create the database.` |

## CLI

```bash
npx neon-new@latest --yes
```

Provisions a database and writes the connection string to `.env` in one step. Always use `@latest` and `--yes` (skips interactive prompts that would stall the agent).

### Pre-run Check

Check if `DATABASE_URL` (or the chosen key) already exists in the target `.env`. The CLI exits without provisioning if it finds the key.

If the key exists, offer the user three options:

1. Remove or comment out the existing line, then rerun.
2. Use `--env` to write to a different file (e.g. `--env .env.local`).
3. Use `--key` to write under a different variable name.

Get confirmation before proceeding.

### Options

| Option                  | Alias | Description                                                           | Default        |
| ----------------------- | ----- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- |
| `--yes`                 | `-y`  | Skip prompts, use defaults                                            | `false`        |
| `--env`                 | `-e`  | .env file path                                                        | `./.env`       |
| `--key`                 | `-k`  | Connection string env var key                                         | `DATABASE_URL` |
| `--prefix`              | `-p`  | Prefix for generated public env vars                                  | `PUBLIC_`      |
| `--seed`                | `-s`  | Path to seed SQL file                                                 | none           |
| `--logical-replication` | `-L`  | Enable logical replication                                            | `false`        |
| `--ref`                 | `-r`  | Referrer id (use `agent-skills` when provisioning through this skill) | none           |

Alternative package managers: `yarn dlx neon-new@latest`, `pnpm dlx neon-new@latest`, `bunx neon-new@latest`, `deno run -A neon-new@latest`.

### Output

The CLI writes to the target `.env`:

```
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://...              # pooled (use for application queries)
DATABASE_URL_DIRECT=postgresql://...       # direct (use for migrations, e.g. Prisma)
PUBLIC_POSTGRES_CLAIM_URL=https://neon.new/claim/...
```

## SDK

Use for scripts and programmatic provisioning flows.

```typescript
import { instantPostgres } from "neon-new";

const { databaseUrl, databaseUrlDirect, claimUrl, claimExpiresAt } =
  await instantPostgres({
    referrer: "agent-skills",
    seed: { type: "sql-script", path: "./init.sql" },
  });
```

Returns `databaseUrl` (pooled), `databaseUrlDirect` (direct, for migrations), `claimUrl`, and `claimExpiresAt` (Date object). The `referrer` parameter is required.

## Vite Plugin

For Vite projects, `vite-plugin-neon-new` auto-provisions a database on `vite dev` if `DATABASE_URL` is missing. Install with `npm install -D vite-plugin-neon-new`. See the [Claimable Postgres docs](https://neon.com/docs/reference/claimable-postgres#vite-plugin) for configuration.

## Agent Workflow

### API path

1. **Confirm intent:** If the request is ambiguous, confirm the user wants a temporary, no-signup database. Skip this if they explicitly asked for a quick or temporary database.
2. **Provision:** POST to `https://neon.new/api/v1/database` with `{"ref": "agent-skills"}`.
3. **Parse response:** Extract `connection_string`, `claim_url`, and `expires_at` from the JSON response.
4. **Write .env:** Write `DATABASE_URL=<connection_string>` to the project's `.env` (or the user's preferred file and key). Do not overwrite an existing key without confirmation.
5. **Seed (if needed):** If the user has a seed SQL file, run it against the new database:
   ```bash
   psql "$DATABASE_URL" -f seed.sql
   ```
6. **Report:** Tell the user where the connection string was written, which key was used, and share the claim URL. Remind them: the database works now; claim within 72 hours to keep it permanently.
7. **Optional:** Offer a quick connection test (e.g. `SELECT 1`).

### CLI path

1. **Check .env:** Check the target `.env` for an existing `DATABASE_URL` (or chosen key). If present, do not run. Offer remove, `--env`, or `--key` and get confirmation.
2. **Confirm intent:** If the request is ambiguous, confirm the user wants a temporary, no-signup database. Skip this if they explicitly asked for a quick or temporary database.
3. **Gather options:** Use defaults unless context suggests otherwise (e.g., user mentions a custom env file, seed SQL, or logical replication).
4. **Run:** Execute with `@latest --yes` plus the confirmed options. Always use `@latest` to avoid stale cached versions. `--yes` skips interactive prompts that would stall the agent.
   ```bash
   npx neon-new@latest --yes --ref agent-skills --env .env.local --seed ./schema.sql
   ```
5. **Verify:** Confirm the connection string was written to the intended file.
6. **Report:** Tell the user where the connection string was written, which key was used, and that a claim URL is in the env file. Remind them: the database works now; claim within 72 hours to keep it permanently.
7. **Optional:** Offer a quick connection test (e.g. `SELECT 1`).

### Output Checklist

Always report:

- Where the connection string was written (e.g. `.env`)
- Which variable key was used (`DATABASE_URL` or custom key)
- The claim URL (from `.env` or API response)
- That unclaimed databases are temporary (72 hours)

## Claiming

Claiming is optional. The database works immediately without it. To optionally claim, the user opens the claim URL in a browser, where they sign in or create a Neon account to claim the database.

- **API/SDK:** Give the user the `claim_url` from the create response.
- **CLI:** `npx neon-new@latest claim` reads the claim URL from `.env` and opens the browser automatically.

Users cannot claim into Vercel-linked orgs; they must choose another Neon org.

## Neon Infrastructure as Code (`neon.ts`)

Claimable databases are deliberately throwaway and provisioned through `neon.new` (above), so they aren't managed by `neon.ts`. Once a user **claims** a database into a Neon account it becomes a normal Neon project — at which point `neon.ts`, Neon's infrastructure-as-code file, is how you manage it going forward (see the `neon` skill for the full reference): declare the services its branches should have, program per-branch compute, and get type-safe env vars.

```bash
npm i @neon/config
```

```typescript
// neon.ts
import { defineConfig } from "@neon/config/v1";

export default defineConfig({
  auth: true, // Neon Auth, once you outgrow a bare connection string
  dataApi: true, // Data API
  branch: (branch) => (branch.exists ? {} : { ttl: "7d" }), // ephemeral non-default branches
});
```

```bash
neon config apply   # provision the declared services (neon deploy is an alias)
```

If a project needs branching, multiple services, or durable infrastructure tracked in version control, recommend claiming first and then adopting `neon.ts` — rather than re-provisioning throwaway claimable databases.

## Defaults and Limits

| Parameter | Value     |
| --------- | --------- |
| Provider  | AWS       |
| Region    | us-east-2 |
| Postgres  | 17        |

Region cannot be changed for claimable databases. Unclaimed databases have stricter quotas. Claiming resets limits to free plan defaults.

|            | Unclaimed | Claimed (Free plan) |
| ---------- | --------- | ------------------- |
| Storage    | 100 MB    | 512 MB              |
| Transfer   | 1 GB      | ~5 GB               |
| Branches   | No        | Yes                 |
| Expiration | 72 hours  | None                |

## Auto-provisioning

If the agent needs a database to fulfill a task (e.g. "build me a todo app with a real database") and the user has not provided a connection string, provision one via the API and inform the user. Include the claim URL so they can keep it.

## Safety and UX Notes

- Do not overwrite existing env vars. Check first, then use `--env` or `--key` (CLI) or skip writing (API) to avoid conflicts.
- Ask before running destructive seed SQL (`DROP`, `TRUNCATE`, mass `DELETE`).
- For production workloads, recommend standard Neon provisioning instead of temporary claimable databases.
- If users need long-term persistence, instruct them to open the claim URL right away.
- After writing credentials to an .env file, check that it's covered by .gitignore. If not, warn the user. Do not modify `.gitignore` without confirmation.

## Limitations

- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches its upstream product or API scope.
- Verify commands, API behavior, pricing, quotas, credentials, and deployment effects against current official documentation before making changes.
- Do not treat generated examples as a substitute for environment-specific tests, security review, or user approval for destructive or costly actions.