---
title: Setting database credentials at initial setup
description: The setup tool applies credentials to the policy database. Also, this tool generates the configuration.yml file that configures the PingAuthorize Policy Editor.
component: pingauthorize
version: 11.0
page_id: pingauthorize:pingauthorize_server_administration_guide:paz_set_db_creds_startup
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingauthorize/11.0/pingauthorize_server_administration_guide/paz_set_db_creds_startup.html
revdate: May 22, 2024
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  choose-from: Choose from:
---

# Setting database credentials at initial setup

The `setup` tool applies credentials to the policy database. Also, this tool generates the `configuration.yml` file that configures the PingAuthorize Policy Editor.

## About this task

Using `setup` or environment variables, you can set credentials for both the admin user and the application user.

Because this setup is an initial setup, the Policy Editor is not running.

## Steps

* Set credentials for both the admin user and the application user.

  ### Choose from:

  * Setting credentials with the `setup` tool.

    Include the following options and the credential values with `setup`:

    * `--dbAdminUsername`

    * `--dbAdminPassword`

    * `--dbAppUsername`

    * `--dbAppPassword`

    For example, the following command sets the policy database admin credentials to `adminuser`/ `Passw0rd` and the policy database application credentials to `appuser`/ `S3cret`.

    ```
    bin/setup --dbAdminUsername adminuser \
      --dbAdminPassword Passw0rd \
      --dbAppUsername appuser \
      --dbAppPassword S3cret \
      --interactive
    ```

  * Setting credentials with environment variables.

    Using environment variables, you can avoid credentials showing up in process lists and command-line history.

    The following example sets the policy database admin credentials to `adminuser`/ `Passw0rd` and the application user credentials to `app`/ `S3cret`.

    ```
    env PING_DB_ADMIN_USERNAME=adminuser \
      PING_DB_ADMIN_PASSWORD=Passw0rd \
      PING_DB_APP_USERNAME=app \
      PING_DB_APP_PASSWORD=S3cret \
      bin/setup
    ```

    Using environment variables at initial setup generates the `configuration.yml` file with the `adminuser`/ `Passw0rd` credentials and the `app`/ `S3cret` credentials instead of the default credentials.

    For more information about these and other UNIX environment variables you can use to override configuration settings, see [Starting PingAuthorize Policy Editor](paz_start_pe.html).