Introduction

Metabase is a popular open-source business intelligence platform that allows users to connect various databases and create dashboards and reports. While databases are typically added through the Metabase web interface, administrators can automate the process using the Metabase REST API and command-line tools such as curl.

This article explains how to add a database to Metabase from the command line.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure the following:

  • Metabase is installed and running.
  • Administrator access to Metabase.
  • API key or username and password for authentication.
  • Database connection details (host, port, database name, username, and password).
  • curl installed on the server.

Implementation

Step 1: Generate an API Key

Navigate to:

Admin Settings → Authentication → API Keys

Generate an API key and note it for use in API requests.

Step 2: Create the Database Connection

Execute the following command to add a MySQL database:

curl -X POST http://metabase.example.com/api/database \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
-d '{
  "engine": "mysql",
  "name": "Production MySQL",
  "details": {
    "host": "IP ADDRESS",
    "port": 3306,
    "dbname": "employees",
    "user": "dbuser",
    "password": "dbpassword"
  }
}'

Step 3: Verify the Database

Retrieve the list of databases configured in Metabase:

curl -X GET http://metabase.example.com/api/database \
-H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"

The output will display all configured databases.

Step 4: Update an Existing Database

To modify an existing database configuration:

curl -X PUT http://metabase.example.com/api/database/2 \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
-d '{
  "name": "Updated MySQL Database"
}'

Replace 2 with the database ID.

Conclusion

Although Metabase does not provide a dedicated CLI command for adding databases, administrators can automate the process using the REST API and command-line tools such as curl. This approach is particularly useful for scripting, infrastructure automation, and managing multiple Metabase instances.

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