---
title: Configure Your Environment
sidebarTitle: Configure Your Environment
description: Connect your preferred SQL client or ORM to ParadeDB
canonical: https://www.paradedb.com/docs/start/configure-your-environment
---

Connect your preferred SQL client or ORM to the ParadeDB database you
started in the previous step. This page creates the `mock_items` demo table used
by the rest of the tutorial.

<Note>
  The next page creates the ParadeDB index. Keep the database, project, shell,
  or REPL you configure here open.
</Note>

<Tabs>
<Tab title="SQL">

ParadeDB comes with a helpful procedure that creates a table populated with mock data to help
you get started. Run the following command to create this table.

```sql
CALL paradedb.create_bm25_test_table(
  schema_name => 'public',
  table_name => 'mock_items'
);
```

Then, inspect the first 3 rows:

```sql
SELECT description, rating, category
FROM mock_items
LIMIT 3;
```

```ini Expected Response
       description        | rating |  category
--------------------------+--------+-------------
 Ergonomic metal keyboard |      4 | Electronics
 Plastic Keyboard         |      4 | Electronics
 Sleek running shoes      |      5 | Footwear
(3 rows)
```

You're connected. Next, [create your first
index](/start/create-your-first-index).

</Tab>

<Tab title="Drizzle">
To get started, create a TypeScript project with [Drizzle](https://orm.drizzle.team/), [postgres.js](https://github.com/porsager/postgres), and [@paradedb/drizzle-paradedb](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@paradedb/drizzle-paradedb) installed.

```bash
npm init -y
npm pkg set type=module
npm install drizzle-orm@1.0.0-rc.4 postgres @paradedb/drizzle-paradedb@0.5.0 tsx
```

Create a `db.ts` file with your database connection and a schema for ParadeDB's built-in test table:

```ts db.ts
import { drizzle } from "drizzle-orm/postgres-js";
import postgres from "postgres";
import {
  boolean,
  customType,
  date,
  integer,
  jsonb,
  pgTable,
  serial,
  text,
  time,
  timestamp,
  varchar,
  vector,
} from "drizzle-orm/pg-core";

export const client = postgres(
  "postgres://postgres:<PASSWORD>@localhost:5432/paradedb",
);
export const db = drizzle({ client });

export const mockItems = pgTable("mock_items", {
  id: serial("id").primaryKey(),
  description: text("description"),
  rating: integer("rating"),
  category: varchar("category", { length: 255 }),
  inStock: boolean("in_stock"),
  metadata: jsonb("metadata"),
  createdAt: timestamp("created_at"),
  lastUpdatedDate: date("last_updated_date"),
  latestAvailableTime: time("latest_available_time"),
  weightRange: customType<{ data: string }>({
    dataType: () => "int4range",
  })("weight_range"),
  embedding: vector("embedding", { dimensions: 8 }),
});
```

Open a TypeScript REPL:

```bash
node --import tsx
```

Import your database connection, schema, and any helpers used by the setup and query snippets. The Node REPL does not support static `import` statements, so use dynamic imports here:

```ts
const { client, db, mockItems } = await import("./db.ts");
const { and, desc, gt, sql } = await import("drizzle-orm");
const { search } = await import("@paradedb/drizzle-paradedb");
```

Create and populate `mock_items`:

```ts
await db.execute(sql`
  CALL paradedb.create_bm25_test_table(
    schema_name => 'public',
    table_name => 'mock_items'
  )
`);
```

To paste a formatted query snippet, enter editor mode:

```text
.editor
```

Paste the query body without its `import` lines. The helpers from those imports are already available from the dynamic imports above. Press `Ctrl+D` to run the pasted query.

You're connected. Next, [create your first
index](/start/create-your-first-index) from the REPL.

</Tab>

<Tab title="Django">
To start you'll need a [Django](https://www.djangoproject.com/) project with [Psycopg](https://www.psycopg.org/) and [django-paradedb](https://pypi.org/project/django-paradedb/) installed. Run the following to create one:

```bash
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install django psycopg django-paradedb==0.13.0
python3 -m django startproject myproject .
python3 manage.py startapp myapp
```

In `myproject/settings.py`, add `'django.contrib.postgres'` and `'myapp'` to `INSTALLED_APPS`. Then, configure `DATABASES["default"]` to point to Postgres:

```python myproject/settings.py
INSTALLED_APPS = [
    ...,
    'django.contrib.postgres',
    'myapp',
]

DATABASES = {
    "default": {
        "ENGINE": "django.db.backends.postgresql",
        "NAME": "paradedb",
        "USER": "postgres",
        "PASSWORD": "<PASSWORD>",
        "HOST": "localhost",
        "PORT": "5432",
    }
}
```

We can now add a model for ParadeDB's built-in test table:

```python models.py
from django.db import models

from django.contrib.postgres.fields import IntegerRangeField
from paradedb.queryset import ParadeDBManager
from paradedb.vector import VectorField


class MockItem(models.Model):
    description = models.TextField(null=True, blank=True)
    rating = models.IntegerField(null=True, blank=True)
    category = models.CharField(max_length=255, null=True, blank=True)
    in_stock = models.BooleanField(null=True, blank=True)
    metadata = models.JSONField(null=True, blank=True)
    created_at = models.DateTimeField(null=True, blank=True)
    last_updated_date = models.DateField(null=True, blank=True)
    latest_available_time = models.TimeField(null=True, blank=True)
    weight_range = IntegerRangeField(null=True, blank=True)
    embedding = VectorField(dimensions=8, null=True, blank=True)

    objects = ParadeDBManager()

    class Meta:
        db_table = "mock_items"
```

Run the migrations to create the table:

```bash
python3 manage.py makemigrations
python3 manage.py migrate
```

Now, open a Python shell with `python3 manage.py shell` and run the following command to populate `mock_items`.

```python
from django.db import connection

with connection.cursor() as cursor:
    cursor.execute("""
        CALL paradedb.create_bm25_test_table(
          schema_name => 'public',
          table_name  => 'mock_items_tmp'
        );
        INSERT INTO public.mock_items
        SELECT * FROM public.mock_items_tmp;
        DROP TABLE public.mock_items_tmp;
    """)
```

You're connected. Next, [create your first
index](/start/create-your-first-index) in your Python shell.

</Tab>

<Tab title="SQLAlchemy">
To get started, install [SQLAlchemy](https://www.sqlalchemy.org/), [Alembic](https://alembic.sqlalchemy.org/en/latest/), [Psycopg](https://www.psycopg.org/), and [sqlalchemy-paradedb](https://pypi.org/project/sqlalchemy-paradedb/).

```bash
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install sqlalchemy psycopg alembic sqlalchemy-paradedb==0.11.0
```

Initialize Alembic:

```bash
alembic init migrations
```

Then update the Alembic configuration to point to your database:

```ini alembic.ini
sqlalchemy.url = postgresql+psycopg://postgres:<PASSWORD>@localhost:5432/paradedb
```

ParadeDB comes with a built-in test table that we'll run our queries against. Create a `models.py` file with a model for that table:

```python
from __future__ import annotations

from datetime import date, datetime, time
from typing import Any

from sqlalchemy import Boolean, Date, DateTime, Integer, String, Text, Time
from sqlalchemy.dialects.postgresql import INT4RANGE, JSONB, Range
from sqlalchemy.orm import DeclarativeBase, Mapped, mapped_column

from paradedb.sqlalchemy.vector import Vector


class Base(DeclarativeBase):
    pass


class MockItem(Base):
    __tablename__ = "mock_items"

    id: Mapped[int] = mapped_column(Integer, primary_key=True)
    description: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(Text, nullable=True)
    rating: Mapped[int | None] = mapped_column(Integer, nullable=True)
    category: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(String(255), nullable=True)
    in_stock: Mapped[bool | None] = mapped_column(Boolean, nullable=True)
    metadata_: Mapped[dict[str, Any] | None] = mapped_column("metadata", JSONB, nullable=True)
    created_at: Mapped[datetime | None] = mapped_column(DateTime, nullable=True)
    last_updated_date: Mapped[date | None] = mapped_column(Date, nullable=True)
    latest_available_time: Mapped[time | None] = mapped_column(Time, nullable=True)
    weight_range: Mapped[Range[int] | None] = mapped_column(INT4RANGE, nullable=True)
    embedding: Mapped[list[float] | None] = mapped_column(Vector(8), nullable=True)
```

Copy this configuration into your `migrations/env.py`:

```python migrations/env.py
from logging.config import fileConfig

from sqlalchemy import engine_from_config, text
from sqlalchemy import pool

from alembic import context
from models import Base

config = context.config

if config.config_file_name is not None:
    fileConfig(config.config_file_name)

target_metadata = Base.metadata

# The ParadeDB Docker image comes pre-bundled with some popular
# extensions like PostGIS. PostGIS automatically creates a table
# called `spatial_ref_sys`. This tells Alembic not to drop it even
# though it isn't tracked in Alembic's metadata.
IGNORED_TABLES = {"spatial_ref_sys"}


def include_object(object, name, type_, reflected, compare_to):
    if type_ == "table" and reflected and name in IGNORED_TABLES:
        return False
    return True


def run_migrations_offline() -> None:
    url = config.get_main_option("sqlalchemy.url")
    context.configure(
        url=url,
        target_metadata=target_metadata,
        literal_binds=True,
        dialect_opts={"paramstyle": "named"},
    )

    with context.begin_transaction():
        context.run_migrations()


def run_migrations_online() -> None:
    connectable = engine_from_config(
        config.get_section(config.config_ini_section, {}),
        prefix="sqlalchemy.",
        poolclass=pool.NullPool,
    )

    with connectable.connect() as connection:
        # This prevents Alembic from modifying tables outside
        # of the `public` schema.
        connection.execute(text("SET search_path TO public"))
        connection.commit()
        context.configure(
            connection=connection,
            target_metadata=target_metadata,
            include_object=include_object,
        )

        with context.begin_transaction():
            context.run_migrations()


if context.is_offline_mode():
    run_migrations_offline()
else:
    run_migrations_online()
```

Next, add a migration to create the `mock_items` test table. Create a blank migration in `0001_create_mock_items_table.py` by running the following command:

```bash
alembic revision --rev-id 0001 -m "Create mock_items table"
```

Update the generated migration to create the table:

```python
def upgrade() -> None:
    """Upgrade schema."""
    op.execute(
        """
        CALL paradedb.create_bm25_test_table(
          schema_name => 'public',
          table_name => 'mock_items'
        )
        """
    )


def downgrade() -> None:
    """Downgrade schema."""
    op.execute("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS public.mock_items")
```

Then, run it with:

```bash
alembic upgrade head
```

Finally, run `python` and execute the following:

```python
from models import MockItem
from sqlalchemy import create_engine
engine = create_engine('postgresql+psycopg://postgres:<PASSWORD>@localhost:5432/paradedb')
```

You're connected. Next, [create your first
index](/start/create-your-first-index) in your shell.

</Tab>

<Tab title="Rails">
To get started, create a [Rails](https://rubyonrails.org/) app that uses Postgres.

```bash
rails new paradedb -d postgresql
cd paradedb
```

Add the [rails-paradedb](https://rubygems.org/gems/rails-paradedb) gem to your `Gemfile`:

```ruby Gemfile
gem "rails-paradedb", "0.12.0", require: "parade_db"
```

Then install it:

```bash
bundle install
```

Update `config/database.yml` to point to your ParadeDB database:

```yml config/database.yml
development:
  adapter: postgresql
  encoding: unicode
  database: paradedb
  username: postgres
  password: <PASSWORD>
  host: localhost
  port: 5432
```

ParadeDB comes with a built-in test table that we'll run our queries against. Generate a migration to create it:

```bash
rails generate migration CreateMockItemsTable
```

Update the generated migration to create `mock_items`:

```ruby db/migrate/*_create_mock_items_table.rb
def up
  execute <<~SQL
    CALL paradedb.create_bm25_test_table(
      schema_name => 'public',
      table_name => 'mock_items'
    );
  SQL
end

def down
  drop_table :mock_items, if_exists: true
end
```

Next, create a model for the `mock_items` table in `app/models/mock_item.rb`:

```ruby app/models/mock_item.rb
class MockItem < ApplicationRecord
  include ParadeDB::Model

  self.table_name = "mock_items"
  self.primary_key = "id"
end
```

Run the migrations:

```bash
rails db:migrate
```

You're connected. Open the Rails console, then [create your first
index](/start/create-your-first-index).

```bash
rails console
```

</Tab>

<Tab title="EF Core">
To get started, create a .NET project with [EF Core](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/ef/core/), [Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL](https://www.nuget.org/packages/npgsql.entityframeworkcore.postgresql), and [ParadeDB.EntityFrameworkCore](https://www.nuget.org/packages/ParadeDB.EntityFrameworkCore) installed.

```bash
dotnet new console --framework net10.0
dotnet new tool-manifest
dotnet tool install dotnet-ef
dotnet add package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design
dotnet add package Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL
dotnet add package ParadeDB.EntityFrameworkCore --version 0.3.0
```

<Note>
  This console app uses `OnConfiguring` to keep the example self-contained. In
  ASP.NET Core or another app with dependency injection, register ParadeDB
  through `UseNpgsql` in `Program.cs`:

```cs
builder.Services.AddDbContextPool<AppDbContext>(opt =>
{
    opt.UseNpgsql(
        builder.Configuration.GetConnectionString("AppDatabase"),
        o => o.UseParadeDb()
    );
});
```

</Note>

Replace `Program.cs` with a DbContext, model, and query scratchpad for ParadeDB's built-in test table:

```cs Program.cs
using System.Text.Json;
using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
using NpgsqlTypes;
using ParadeDB.EntityFrameworkCore;
using ParadeDB.EntityFrameworkCore.Extensions;

await using var dbContext = new AppDbContext();

// Replace this with the query you want to run.
var results = await dbContext
    .MockItems.Where(item =>
        EF.Functions.MatchAny(item.Description, "running shoes") && item.Rating > 2
    )
    .OrderBy(item => item.Rating)
    .Select(item => new { item.Description, item.Rating, item.Category })
    .Take(5)
    .ToListAsync();

PrintResults(results);

static void PrintResults<T>(IReadOnlyList<T> rows)
{
  var properties = typeof(T).GetProperties();

  foreach (var property in properties)
  {
      Console.Write($"{property.Name,-24}");
  }

  Console.WriteLine();
  Console.WriteLine(new string('-', properties.Length * 24));

  foreach (var row in rows)
  {
      foreach (var property in properties)
      {
          var value = property.GetValue(row)?.ToString() ?? "";
          value = value.Length > 21 ? value[..21] + "..." : value;

          Console.Write($"{value,-24}");
      }

      Console.WriteLine();
  }
}

public sealed class AppDbContext : DbContext
{
    public DbSet<MockItem> MockItems => Set<MockItem>();

    protected override void OnConfiguring(DbContextOptionsBuilder options) =>
        options.UseNpgsql("Host=localhost;Port=5432;Database=paradedb;Username=postgres;Password=<PASSWORD>", npgsql => npgsql.UseParadeDb());

    protected override void OnModelCreating(ModelBuilder modelBuilder)
    {
        modelBuilder.Entity<MockItem>(entity =>
        {
            entity.ToTable("mock_items");
            entity.HasKey(item => item.Id);

            entity.Property(item => item.Id).HasColumnName("id");
            entity.Property(item => item.Description).HasColumnName("description");
            entity.Property(item => item.Rating).HasColumnName("rating");
            entity.Property(item => item.Category).HasColumnName("category").HasColumnType("varchar(255)");
            entity.Property(item => item.InStock).HasColumnName("in_stock");
            entity.Property(item => item.Metadata).HasColumnName("metadata").HasColumnType("jsonb");
            entity.Property(item => item.CreatedAt).HasColumnName("created_at").HasColumnType("timestamp");
            entity.Property(item => item.LastUpdatedDate).HasColumnName("last_updated_date").HasColumnType("date");
            entity.Property(item => item.LatestAvailableTime).HasColumnName("latest_available_time").HasColumnType("time");
            entity.Property(item => item.WeightRange).HasColumnName("weight_range").HasColumnType("int4range");
            entity.Property(item => item.Embedding).HasColumnName("embedding").HasColumnType("vector(8)");
        });
    }
}

public sealed class MockItem
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string? Description { get; set; }
    public int? Rating { get; set; }
    public string? Category { get; set; }
    public bool? InStock { get; set; }
    public JsonDocument? Metadata { get; set; }
    public DateTime? CreatedAt { get; set; }
    public DateOnly? LastUpdatedDate { get; set; }
    public TimeOnly? LatestAvailableTime { get; set; }
    public NpgsqlRange<int>? WeightRange { get; set; }
    public float[]? Embedding { get; set; }
}
```

Create the EF Core migration:

```bash
dotnet ef migrations add CreateMockItems
```

Open the generated migration in `Migrations/*_CreateMockItems.cs` and add this seed step to the end of the `Up` method:

```cs
migrationBuilder.Sql("""
    CALL paradedb.create_bm25_test_table(
      schema_name => 'public',
      table_name  => 'mock_items_tmp'
    );

    INSERT INTO public.mock_items
    SELECT * FROM public.mock_items_tmp;

    DROP TABLE public.mock_items_tmp;
    """);
```

Then apply the migration:

```bash
dotnet ef database update
```

This creates `mock_items` and loads the mock data.

You're connected. Next, [create your first
index](/start/create-your-first-index). You can then run the query included in
`Program.cs`:

```bash
dotnet run
```

After the index is created, try [running some
queries](/start/run-queries) by adding them to `Program.cs`.

</Tab>
</Tabs>