# Connect Nuxt to Postgres on Neon

Pre-built prompt for connecting Nuxt applications to Neon.

[Nuxt](https://nuxt.com/) is an open-source full-stack meta framework that enables Vue-based web applications. This topic describes how to connect a Nuxt application to a Postgres database on Neon.

To create a Neon project and access it from a Nuxt.js application:

::::::steps
:::::step{title="Create a Neon project"}
Create a Neon project with the [Neon CLI](/guides/apis-sdks-cli-install) or the Console.

::::tabs
:::tab{title="Neon CLI"}
Install the CLI (`npm i -g neon`), then sign in and create the project:

```bash
neon login
neon projects create --name my-app
```

If you belong to more than one organization, the CLI prompts you to choose one. To skip the prompt, pass `--org-id <id>` (find it with `neon orgs list`).

You'll link this project and pull its credentials in a later step.
:::

:::tab{title="Console"}
1. Navigate to the [Projects](https://console.neon.tech/app/projects) page in the Neon Console.
2. Click **New Project**.
3. Specify your project settings and click **Create Project**.
:::
::::
:::::

::::step{title="Create a Nuxt project and add dependencies"}
1. Create a Nuxt project if you do not have one, then change into its directory. The scaffolder is interactive (it asks about the template, package manager, git, and modules); for CI or an AI agent, pass those as flags to run non-interactively. See [Create a Nuxt Project](https://nuxt.com/docs/getting-started/installation#new-project) for details. The CLI commands in the next step run from this directory.

   ```bash
   # Interactive (human):
   npm create nuxt@latest my-app && cd my-app

   # Non-interactive (CI / AI agents):
   npm create nuxt@latest my-app -- --template minimal --packageManager npm --no-gitInit --modules "" && cd my-app
   ```

2. Add a Postgres driver. This guide's examples use the Neon serverless driver, which suits serverless and edge deployments; for long-lived servers, `pg` or `postgres.js` are recommended. See [Choosing your connection method](/guides/postgres-connect-choose-connection).

   :::code-group
   ```bash title="Neon serverless driver"
   npm install @neondatabase/serverless
   ```

   ```shell title="postgres.js"
   npm install postgres
   ```

   ```shell title="node-postgres"
   npm install pg
   ```
   :::
::::

:::::step{title="Store your Neon credentials"}
Get your `DATABASE_URL` into a `.env` file the app can read.

::::tabs
:::tab{title="Neon CLI"}
From your project directory, link the app to your Neon project and pull its connection string:

```bash
neon link                    # connects this directory to your project (writes .neon)
neon env pull --file .env    # writes DATABASE_URL from your default branch into .env
```

Notes:

- Not signed in yet? Run `neon login` first.
- `neon link` prompts for an org and project. To skip the prompts, pass `--org-id <id>` and `--project-id <id>` (find IDs with `neon orgs list` and `neon projects list`), plus `--branch <name>` to pin a branch, or `-y` to pin the default branch.
- For Nuxt, pass in `--file .env` to `neon env pull` as it writes to `.env.local` by default, and `nuxt dev` only reads `.env` by default.
- Which branch? `neon env pull` uses your project's default branch: `main` for CLI-created projects, `production` for Console-created ones (`neon branches list` shows yours). To use a different branch, run `neon checkout <branch>` first; it re-pins the branch in `.neon` so the next `env pull` reads from it.
:::

:::tab{title="Console"}
Add a `.env` file and paste your connection string, which you can copy from the **Connect** button in the Console nav. For more information, see [Connect from any application](/guides/postgres-connect-connect-from-any-app).

```shell filename=".env"
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://<user>:<password>@<endpoint_hostname>.neon.tech/<dbname>?sslmode=require&channel_binding=require"
```
:::
::::
:::::

::::step{title="Configure the Postgres client"}
The connection string is a server-side secret, so query it from Nitro server code, which reads `process.env.DATABASE_URL` directly (no `runtimeConfig` needed).

This example uses the Neon serverless driver (`@neondatabase/serverless`). Create a server utility that holds the database client:

```typescript title="server/utils/db.ts"
import { neon } from '@neondatabase/serverless';

export const sql = neon(process.env.DATABASE_URL!);
```

Then use it in a server API route. Files in `server/utils/` are auto-imported, so `sql` is available without an import:

```typescript title="server/api/version.get.ts"
export default defineEventHandler(async () => {
  const [row] = await sql`SELECT version()`;
  return row;
});
```

:::callout{intent="note"}
Keep the database client in `server/` only. Never import `server/utils/db.ts` from a Vue component or `app/` code; the connection string must stay server-side.
:::
::::

:::step{title="Run the app"}
Start the dev server:

```bash
npm run dev
```

Then open `localhost:3000/api/version`. The route returns your Postgres version, confirming the connection:

```json
{ "version": "PostgreSQL 18.4 on aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu, compiled by gcc ..." }
```
:::
::::::

## Next steps

- [Set up Managed Better Auth](/guides/auth-index): Add managed authentication that branches with your database
- [Add Object Storage](/guides/object-storage-index): S3-compatible file storage that branches with your database
- [Deploy a Function](/guides/neon-functions-index): Run backend compute next to your database, no separate hosting needed
- [Call an LLM with AI Gateway](/guides/ai-gateway-index): Access foundation models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and more with one credential

## Need help?

Join our [Discord Server](https://neon.com/discord) to ask questions or see what others are doing with Neon. For paid plan support options, see [Support](/guides/postgres-introduction-support).

## Related pages

- [Connect Astro to Postgres on Neon](./neon-docs-guides-astro.md)
- [Connect a Bun application to Neon](./neon-docs-guides-bun.md)
- [Connect an Entity Framework application to Neon](./neon-docs-guides-dotnet-entity-framework.md)
- [Connect an Encore application to Neon](./neon-docs-guides-encore.md)
- [Connect an Express application to Neon](./neon-docs-guides-express.md)
- [Self-Host Medusa with Neon](./neon-docs-guides-medusajs.md)
- [Connect a Micronaut Kotlin application to Lakebase Postgres](./neon-docs-guides-micronaut-kotlin.md)
- [Connect a NestJS application to Neon](./neon-docs-guides-nestjs.md)
- [Connect a Next.js application to Neon](./neon-docs-guides-nextjs.md)
- [Connect a Node.js application to Neon](./neon-docs-guides-node.md)

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