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Database Configuration

Jetio uses SQLAlchemy’s async engine under the hood, which allows it to work with multiple database backends using a single configuration pattern.

This guide explains how database configuration works in Jetio and how to switch between SQLite, PostgreSQL, and MySQL.

Default Database (SQLite)

Jetio uses SQLite by default when no database configuration is provided.

This makes it ideal for:

  • Local development
  • Tutorials and examples
  • Small projects
  • Rapid prototyping

No additional setup is required.

Example

If no DATABASE_URL is set, Jetio will automatically use SQLite.

You can start your application immediately:

python app.py

How Database Configuration Works

Jetio reads database configuration from the DATABASE_URL environment variable.

General format:

DATABASE_URL="dialect+driver://user:password@host:port/database"

Jetio passes this value directly to SQLAlchemy’s async engine.

Using Environment Variables

You can define DATABASE_URL using your shell or a .env file.

Example (shell)

export DATABASE_URL="sqlite+aiosqlite:///./app.db"

Example (.env file)

DATABASE_URL="sqlite+aiosqlite:///./app.db"

ℹ️ Jetio automatically loads .env files if python-dotenv is installed.

PostgreSQL Configuration

PostgreSQL is recommended for production deployments.

1. Install the driver

pip install asyncpg

2. Set DATABASE_URL

DATABASE_URL="postgresql+asyncpg://user:password@localhost:5432/mydatabase"

Notes

  • Jetio uses asyncpg for async PostgreSQL support
  • The database must exist before running the app
  • Connection pooling is handled automatically by SQLAlchemy

MySQL Configuration

Jetio also supports MySQL via async drivers.

1. Install the driver

pip install aiomysql

2. Set DATABASE_URL

DATABASE_URL="mysql+aiomysql://user:password@localhost:3306/mydatabase"

Notes

  • Ensure the database exists beforehand
  • MySQL 8+ is recommended
  • Async performance depends on driver and server configuration

Creating Database Tables

Jetio does not run migrations automatically.

For development, you can create tables using:

async with engine.begin() as conn:
    await conn.run_sync(Base.metadata.create_all)

⚠️ Do not use drop_all() in production environments.

For production systems, consider: - Alembic migrations - Manual schema management

Multiple Environments

A common pattern is to use different databases per environment:

Environment Database
Development SQLite
Testing SQLite / PostgreSQL
Production PostgreSQL

You can switch databases simply by changing DATABASE_URL.

Troubleshooting

Database connection errors

  • Verify the driver is installed
  • Ensure credentials are correct
  • Confirm the database exists
  • Check network access

Import-time errors during documentation builds

If documentation tools import Jetio without a database available, set a safe default:

DATABASE_URL="sqlite+aiosqlite:///./docs.db"

Summary

Jetio’s database configuration is:

  • Simple
  • Flexible
  • Environment-driven
  • Fully powered by SQLAlchemy

Start with SQLite, and scale to PostgreSQL or MySQL when needed.

Next Steps

  • Environment Variables
  • Authentication & Security
  • Deployment Guides