> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fly.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Laravel and MySQL

For data store, why not start with a relational database classic: [MySQL](https://www.mysql.com/).
You can run your own MySQL Fly App, or set up a PlanetScale MySQL-compatible serverless database.

## *Laravel and MySQL Fly App*

To run MySQL as a [Fly App](/app-guides/mysql-on-fly), follow our guide [here](/app-guides/mysql-on-fly). Afterwards, you're good to connect:

1. Connect to your MySQL Fly App from a Laravel Fly App
2. Connect to your MySQL Fly App from a local environment

### *Connect from a Laravel Fly App*

1. Revise the `[env]` configuration in your Laravel application's `fly.toml` file to connect with your MySQL Fly App's [Fly .internal address](/networking/private-networking#fly-io-internal-addresses):

   ```toml theme={null}
   [env]
     APP_ENV = "production"
     DB_CONNECTION = "mysql"
     DB_HOST = "<MYSQL Fly .internal Address>"
     DB_DATABASE= "<MYSQL_DATABASE>"
   ```

2. Then, set up your Laravel Fly App's database username and password through [Fly Secrets](/flyctl/cmd/fly_secrets):

   ```bash theme={null}
   fly secrets set DB_USERNAME=<MYSQL_USER> DB_PASSWORD=<MYSQL_PASSWORD>
   ```

3. Finally deploy your Laravel Fly App changes with:

   ```bash theme={null}
   fly deploy 
   ```

### *Connect from a local environment*

The MySQL instance you spun up in Fly.io "[is closed to the public internet](/machines/api/machines-resource#notes-on-networking)", and can only be accessed by another application found in your Fly.io organization's private network. You'll need a way to tunnel into the network and finally connect to your MySQL instance.

**In this guide you'll tunnel to your MySQL instance through the use of `fly proxy`**

1. Open your MySQL application's `fly.toml` and take note of the following:

   ```toml theme={null}
   app = "<mysql-app-name>"

   [env]
     MYSQL_DATABASE = "<database-name>"
     MYSQL_USER =  "<database-user>"
   ```

2. Then use `fly proxy`  to tunnel to your MySQL application:

   ```bash theme={null}
   fly proxy 3306 -a <mysql-app-name>
   ```

3. Finally, update your Laravel application's local .env file with the values from your MySQL `fly.toml` file:

   ```env theme={null}
   DB_CONNECTION=mysql
   DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
   DB_PORT=3306
   DB_DATABASE=<MYSQL_DATABASE>
   DB_USERNAME=<MYSQL_USER>
   DB_PASSWORD=<MYSQL_PASSWORD>
   ```

## *Laravel with MySQL-compatible PlanetScale*

For a basic PlanetScale and Fly.io connection, follow [our guide here](/app-guides/planetscale).
If you're up for a multi-region level up, check out our [Multi-Region Laravel with PlanetScale](https://fly.io/laravel-bytes/multi-region-laravel-with-planetscale/) article.

Once you're setup with PlanetScale, connect your Laravel application in Fly.io through the following steps below:

1. Get Laravel connection information from PlanetScale instance
2. Connect from Laravel application in Fly.io

### *Get Laravel connection from PlanetScale instance*

Once initialized, your database dashboard should have metrics and options like so:

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/fly-io/izaS1l2UMuz6sm1H/images/planetscale_laravel_new_database.webp?fit=max&auto=format&n=izaS1l2UMuz6sm1H&q=85&s=56634b21cff3fb46bf529920213417bb" alt="PlanetScale initialize database dashboard" width="2040" height="1028" data-path="images/planetscale_laravel_new_database.webp" />

<ol>
  <li>Click on the Connect button at the top right, this should provide a box of information for connecting with your PlanetScale database.</li>
  <li>First though, make sure to add a password,  by clicking on the "New Password" button at the upper right corner. This should show you a new password afterwards.</li>
  <li>Next, select "Laravel" in the list labeled "Connect with"</li>
</ol>

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/fly-io/izaS1l2UMuz6sm1H/images/planetscale_laravel_connection_string.webp?fit=max&auto=format&n=izaS1l2UMuz6sm1H&q=85&s=ff49a0c43b0cdde261951f17412bf74d" alt="PlanetScale Laravel connection string" width="1285" height="502" data-path="images/planetscale_laravel_connection_string.webp" />

Take note of the connection string provided and let's move on!

### *Connect from a Laravel Fly App*

1. Update the `[env]` configuration in Laravel application's `fly.toml` with details from the PlanetScale connection string

   ```
   [env]
     APP_ENV = "production"
     DB_CONNECTION = "mysql"
     DB_HOST = "<DB_HOST>"
     DB_DATABASE= "<DB_DATABASE>"
     MYSQL_ATTR_SSL_CA="/etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt"
   ```

   Take note that the value for `MYSQL_ATTR_SSL_CA` varies depending on the Docker container used. For the default Docker container used by Fly.io, the above value is the path

2. Next, set up the database username and password through [fly secrets](/flyctl/cmd/fly_secrets):

   ```bash theme={null}
   fly secrets set DB_USERNAME=<DB_USERNAME> DB_PASSWORD=<DB_PASSWORD>
   ```

3. Finally deploy your changes with:

   ```bash theme={null}
   fly deploy 
   ```