# Database · GORM Guide
In order to connect to a database, you need to import the database's driver first. For example:

# Database

- Connecting to a database
  - MySQL
  - PostgreSQL
  - Sqlite3
  - Write Dialect for unsupported databases
- Migration
  - Auto Migration
  - Has Table
  - Create Table
  - Drop table
  - ModifyColumn
  - DropColumn
  - Add Foreign Key
  - Indexes

## Connecting to a database

In order to connect to a database, you need to import the database's driver first. For example:

    import _ "github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql"

GORM has wrapped some drivers, for easier to remember the import path, so you could import the mysql driver with

    import _ "github.com/jinzhu/gorm/dialects/mysql"
    // import _ "github.com/jinzhu/gorm/dialects/postgres"
    // import _ "github.com/jinzhu/gorm/dialects/sqlite"
    // import _ "github.com/jinzhu/gorm/dialects/mssql"

#### MySQL

NOTE: In order to handle `time.Time`, you need to include `parseTime` as a parameter. (More supported parameters)

    import (
        "github.com/jinzhu/gorm"
        _ "github.com/jinzhu/gorm/dialects/mysql"
    )

    func main() {
      db, err := gorm.Open("mysql", "user:password@/dbname?charset=utf8&parseTime=True&loc=Local")
    }

#### PostgreSQL

    import (
        "github.com/jinzhu/gorm"
        _ "github.com/jinzhu/gorm/dialects/postgres"
    )

    func main() {
      db, err := gorm.Open("postgres", "user=gorm dbname=gorm sslmode=disable")
    }

#### Sqlite3

    import (
        "github.com/jinzhu/gorm"
        _ "github.com/jinzhu/gorm/dialects/sqlite"
    )

    func main() {
      db, err := gorm.Open("sqlite3", "/tmp/gorm.db")
    }

#### Write Dialect for unsupported databases

GORM officially supports the above databases, but you could write a dialect for unsupported databases.

To write your own dialect, refer to: https://github.com/jinzhu/gorm/blob/master/dialect.go

## Migration

### Auto Migration

Automatically migrate your schema, to keep your schema update to date.

WARNING: AutoMigrate will ONLY create tables, missing columns and missing indexes, and WON'T change existing column's type or delete unused columns to protect your data.

    db.AutoMigrate(&User{})

    db.AutoMigrate(&User{}, &Product{}, &Order{})

    // Add table suffix when create tables
    db.Set("gorm:table_options", "ENGINE=InnoDB").AutoMigrate(&User{})

### Has Table

    // Check model `User`'s table exists or not
    db.HasTable(&User{})

    // Check table `users` exists or not
    db.HasTable("users")

### Create Table

    // Create table for model `User`
    db.CreateTable(&User{})

    // will append "ENGINE=InnoDB" to the SQL statement when creating table `users`
    db.Set("gorm:table_options", "ENGINE=InnoDB").CreateTable(&User{})

### Drop table

    // Drop model `User`'s table
    db.DropTable(&User{})

    // Drop table `users
    db.DropTable("users")

    // Drop model's `User`'s table and table `products`
    db.DropTableIfExists(&User{}, "products")

### ModifyColumn

Modify column's type to given value

    // change column description's data type to `text` for model `User`
    db.Model(&User{}).ModifyColumn("description", "text")

### DropColumn

    // Drop column description from model `User`
    db.Model(&User{}).DropColumn("description")

### Add Foreign Key

    // Add foreign key
    // 1st param : foreignkey field
    // 2nd param : destination table(id)
    // 3rd param : ONDELETE
    // 4th param : ONUPDATE
    db.Model(&User{}).AddForeignKey("city_id", "cities(id)", "RESTRICT", "RESTRICT")

### Indexes

    // Add index for columns `name` with given name `idx_user_name`
    db.Model(&User{}).AddIndex("idx_user_name", "name")

    // Add index for columns `name`, `age` with given name `idx_user_name_age`
    db.Model(&User{}).AddIndex("idx_user_name_age", "name", "age")

    // Add unique index
    db.Model(&User{}).AddUniqueIndex("idx_user_name", "name")

    // Add unique index for multiple columns
    db.Model(&User{}).AddUniqueIndex("idx_user_name_age", "name", "age")

    // Remove index
    db.Model(&User{}).RemoveIndex("idx_user_name")