Branches - Ardent

A branch is an isolated Postgres database created from your connected source. Run migrations, tests, data investigations, and agents against it — your source database is never touched.

ardent branch create

Create a branch from the current connector. It becomes your current branch.

ardent branch create my-feature

Example output

✓ Branch 'my-feature' created and checked out in 4.2s

postgresql://user:***@my-feature-postgres.routing.tryardent.com:5432/db?sslmode=require&channel_binding=disable

Options

Option	Description
`--print-url`	Print only the connection URL. Best for scripts
`--format json`	Print a stable JSON object. See Configuration & automation
`--url-type <type>`	Which URL to print: `direct` (default), `pooled`, or `prisma`
`-s, --service <type>`	Branch service type. Default `postgres` — not the same as the connector type `postgresql`. Leave it alone unless Ardent support says otherwise

--print-url and --format can’t be combined. --url-type can’t be combined with --format json — the JSON already includes every URL.

Use in scripts

DATABASE_URL="$(ardent branch create pr-123 --print-url)"
export DATABASE_URL

If --print-url prints nothing, stop the script. A missing URL means setup failed — don’t fall back to another database. If creation takes too long, the CLI stops waiting after 65 minutes — but the work usually finishes server-side.

If creation times out

Re-run the exact same command. For the same connector, branch name, and service type, a re-run picks up the original request instead of starting a second one. Changing the name or service type starts a new request.You can also run ardent branch list — if the branch appears there, it finished. Use it.The error includes an operation ID you can give Ardent support:

✗ Branch creation did not complete within 65 minutes. It may still be running server-side — do NOT assume it failed. Re-run the same command to resume, or check `ardent branch list`. If you contact Ardent support, reference operation id <operation-id>.

Connecting to a branch

Use the URL exactly as Ardent returns it, including everything after the ?:

psql "$(ardent branch info --print-url)"

Two settings matter in database GUIs and IDEs:

SSL mode: require. Leave root certificate / CA fields blank — your source database’s certificate won’t work here and causes TLS errors.
Channel binding: disable, if your client has the setting.

Why branch connections need these settings

Branch connections go through Ardent’s routing layer, where TLS ends. Your connection is encrypted, but it isn’t signed by your source database’s certificate authority — so a client configured to verify against your source’s CA bundle will reject it. Clearing the certificate fields keeps the connection encrypted without that check.The same routing layer is why clients that force channel binding can reject an otherwise valid connection. channel_binding=disable in the URL handles it; set the IDE option too if there is one.

ardent branch list

List branches for the current connector:

ardent branch list

Your current branch is green and marked *. ● means active; ○ means not. Each branch shows its type, readiness, age, and idle time.

Example output

Branches:

* ● my-feature

postgres · ready · created 2026-06-01 · idle 2m (active)

○ staging

postgres · ready · created 2026-05-20 · idle 3d (suspended)

If you’re offline, the CLI shows cached data and labels it: ⚠ Offline - showing cached data from ....

ardent branch info

Show details and connection URLs for a branch. With no name, it shows the current branch.

ardent branch info my-feature

Example output

Branch: my-feature (current)
  Type:    postgres
  Status:  active
  Ready:   read + write
  Created: 6/1/2026, 12:00:00 PM

Direct URL: postgresql://user:***@my-feature-postgres.routing.tryardent.com:5432/db?sslmode=require&channel_binding=disable

The same script flags work here:

ardent branch info --print-url
ardent branch info my-feature --format json

ardent branch switch

Change which branch is current for future CLI commands:

ardent branch switch staging

Switching doesn’t touch your source database or your app’s config. Copy the printed URL into your app when you want to use the branch.

ardent branch delete

ardent branch delete my-feature

The CLI queues the delete, waits for it to finish, then prints ✓ Branch deleted. If the CLI stops waiting (after 10 minutes), the delete usually still finishes server-side.

If the delete times out

Re-running ardent branch delete <name> is safe — it checks on the existing delete instead of starting a second one. Run ardent branch list online to see the final state; the local cache only drops the branch once the server confirms it’s gone.The error includes an operation ID you can give Ardent support:

✗ Branch delete did not complete within 10 minutes. It may still be running server-side. If you contact Ardent support, reference operation id <operation-id>.

Branches suspend on their own when idle, so cleanup isn’t urgent on your laptop. CI should still delete its branches — use if: always() (or your CI’s equivalent) so every run cleans up.

​ardent branch create

​Options

​Use in scripts

​Connecting to a branch

​ardent branch list

​ardent branch info

​ardent branch switch

​ardent branch delete

ardent branch create

Options

Use in scripts

Connecting to a branch

ardent branch list

ardent branch info

ardent branch switch

ardent branch delete