Deploy GCP Firebase Realtime Database Instances

The gcp:firebase/databaseInstance:DatabaseInstance resource, part of the Pulumi GCP provider, provisions Firebase Realtime Database instances: their type (default or user), region, and operational state. This guide focuses on three capabilities: user database creation, default database provisioning, and state management.

Database instances require a Firebase-enabled GCP project with the firebasedatabase.googleapis.com API activated. User databases require a Blaze (pay-as-you-go) plan. The examples are intentionally small. Combine them with your own security rules and client application configuration.

Create a user database in a specific region

Most deployments start by creating a user database in a chosen region for multi-region data isolation.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as gcp from "@pulumi/gcp";

const basic = new gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstance("basic", {
    project: "my-project-name",
    region: "us-central1",
    instanceId: "active-db",
});

import pulumi
import pulumi_gcp as gcp

basic = gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstance("basic",
    project="my-project-name",
    region="us-central1",
    instance_id="active-db")

package main

import (
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/firebase"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi/sdk/v3/go/pulumi"
)

func main() {
	pulumi.Run(func(ctx *pulumi.Context) error {
		_, err := firebase.NewDatabaseInstance(ctx, "basic", &firebase.DatabaseInstanceArgs{
			Project:    pulumi.String("my-project-name"),
			Region:     pulumi.String("us-central1"),
			InstanceId: pulumi.String("active-db"),
		})
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		return nil
	})
}

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using Pulumi;
using Gcp = Pulumi.Gcp;

return await Deployment.RunAsync(() => 
{
    var basic = new Gcp.Firebase.DatabaseInstance("basic", new()
    {
        Project = "my-project-name",
        Region = "us-central1",
        InstanceId = "active-db",
    });

});

package generated_program;

import com.pulumi.Context;
import com.pulumi.Pulumi;
import com.pulumi.core.Output;
import com.pulumi.gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstance;
import com.pulumi.gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstanceArgs;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Map;
import java.io.File;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;

public class App {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Pulumi.run(App::stack);
    }

    public static void stack(Context ctx) {
        var basic = new DatabaseInstance("basic", DatabaseInstanceArgs.builder()
            .project("my-project-name")
            .region("us-central1")
            .instanceId("active-db")
            .build());

    }
}

resources:
  basic:
    type: gcp:firebase:DatabaseInstance
    properties:
      project: my-project-name
      region: us-central1
      instanceId: active-db

The instanceId must be globally unique and cannot be reused after deletion. The region determines where data is stored; check available regions in the Firebase documentation. Without specifying type, the resource defaults to USER_DATABASE. The database starts in ACTIVE state, ready for read/write operations.

Create a disabled user database

Teams provisioning databases for future use can create them in a disabled state, preventing access until explicitly activated.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as gcp from "@pulumi/gcp";

const full = new gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstance("full", {
    project: "my-project-name",
    region: "europe-west1",
    instanceId: "disabled-db",
    type: "USER_DATABASE",
    desiredState: "DISABLED",
});

import pulumi
import pulumi_gcp as gcp

full = gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstance("full",
    project="my-project-name",
    region="europe-west1",
    instance_id="disabled-db",
    type="USER_DATABASE",
    desired_state="DISABLED")

package main

import (
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/firebase"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi/sdk/v3/go/pulumi"
)

func main() {
	pulumi.Run(func(ctx *pulumi.Context) error {
		_, err := firebase.NewDatabaseInstance(ctx, "full", &firebase.DatabaseInstanceArgs{
			Project:      pulumi.String("my-project-name"),
			Region:       pulumi.String("europe-west1"),
			InstanceId:   pulumi.String("disabled-db"),
			Type:         pulumi.String("USER_DATABASE"),
			DesiredState: pulumi.String("DISABLED"),
		})
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		return nil
	})
}

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using Pulumi;
using Gcp = Pulumi.Gcp;

return await Deployment.RunAsync(() => 
{
    var full = new Gcp.Firebase.DatabaseInstance("full", new()
    {
        Project = "my-project-name",
        Region = "europe-west1",
        InstanceId = "disabled-db",
        Type = "USER_DATABASE",
        DesiredState = "DISABLED",
    });

});

package generated_program;

import com.pulumi.Context;
import com.pulumi.Pulumi;
import com.pulumi.core.Output;
import com.pulumi.gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstance;
import com.pulumi.gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstanceArgs;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Map;
import java.io.File;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;

public class App {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Pulumi.run(App::stack);
    }

    public static void stack(Context ctx) {
        var full = new DatabaseInstance("full", DatabaseInstanceArgs.builder()
            .project("my-project-name")
            .region("europe-west1")
            .instanceId("disabled-db")
            .type("USER_DATABASE")
            .desiredState("DISABLED")
            .build());

    }
}

resources:
  full:
    type: gcp:firebase:DatabaseInstance
    properties:
      project: my-project-name
      region: europe-west1
      instanceId: disabled-db
      type: USER_DATABASE
      desiredState: DISABLED

Setting type to USER_DATABASE explicitly documents the database category. The desiredState property controls operational state: DISABLED prevents all read/write operations, while ACTIVE enables them. You can transition between states by updating desiredState.

Provision the project default database

Each Firebase project can create one default database that cannot be deleted once created. This example shows the complete setup including API enablement.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as gcp from "@pulumi/gcp";
import * as time from "@pulumiverse/time";

const _default = new gcp.organizations.Project("default", {
    projectId: "rtdb-project",
    name: "rtdb-project",
    orgId: "123456789",
    deletionPolicy: "DELETE",
    labels: {
        firebase: "enabled",
    },
});
const firebase = new gcp.projects.Service("firebase", {
    project: _default.projectId,
    service: "firebase.googleapis.com",
});
const defaultProject = new gcp.firebase.Project("default", {project: _default.projectId}, {
    dependsOn: [firebase],
});
const firebaseDatabase = new gcp.projects.Service("firebase_database", {
    project: defaultProject.project,
    service: "firebasedatabase.googleapis.com",
});
const wait60Seconds = new time.Sleep("wait_60_seconds", {createDuration: "60s"}, {
    dependsOn: [firebaseDatabase],
});
const defaultDatabaseInstance = new gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstance("default", {
    project: defaultProject.project,
    region: "us-central1",
    instanceId: "rtdb-project-default-rtdb",
    type: "DEFAULT_DATABASE",
}, {
    dependsOn: [wait60Seconds],
});

import pulumi
import pulumi_gcp as gcp
import pulumiverse_time as time

default = gcp.organizations.Project("default",
    project_id="rtdb-project",
    name="rtdb-project",
    org_id="123456789",
    deletion_policy="DELETE",
    labels={
        "firebase": "enabled",
    })
firebase = gcp.projects.Service("firebase",
    project=default.project_id,
    service="firebase.googleapis.com")
default_project = gcp.firebase.Project("default", project=default.project_id,
opts = pulumi.ResourceOptions(depends_on=[firebase]))
firebase_database = gcp.projects.Service("firebase_database",
    project=default_project.project,
    service="firebasedatabase.googleapis.com")
wait60_seconds = time.Sleep("wait_60_seconds", create_duration="60s",
opts = pulumi.ResourceOptions(depends_on=[firebase_database]))
default_database_instance = gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstance("default",
    project=default_project.project,
    region="us-central1",
    instance_id="rtdb-project-default-rtdb",
    type="DEFAULT_DATABASE",
    opts = pulumi.ResourceOptions(depends_on=[wait60_seconds]))

package main

import (
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/firebase"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/organizations"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/projects"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi/sdk/v3/go/pulumi"
	"github.com/pulumiverse/pulumi-time/sdk/go/time"
)

func main() {
	pulumi.Run(func(ctx *pulumi.Context) error {
		_default, err := organizations.NewProject(ctx, "default", &organizations.ProjectArgs{
			ProjectId:      pulumi.String("rtdb-project"),
			Name:           pulumi.String("rtdb-project"),
			OrgId:          pulumi.String("123456789"),
			DeletionPolicy: pulumi.String("DELETE"),
			Labels: pulumi.StringMap{
				"firebase": pulumi.String("enabled"),
			},
		})
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		firebase, err := projects.NewService(ctx, "firebase", &projects.ServiceArgs{
			Project: _default.ProjectId,
			Service: pulumi.String("firebase.googleapis.com"),
		})
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		defaultProject, err := firebase.NewProject(ctx, "default", &firebase.ProjectArgs{
			Project: _default.ProjectId,
		}, pulumi.DependsOn([]pulumi.Resource{
			firebase,
		}))
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		firebaseDatabase, err := projects.NewService(ctx, "firebase_database", &projects.ServiceArgs{
			Project: defaultProject.Project,
			Service: pulumi.String("firebasedatabase.googleapis.com"),
		})
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		wait60Seconds, err := time.NewSleep(ctx, "wait_60_seconds", &time.SleepArgs{
			CreateDuration: pulumi.String("60s"),
		}, pulumi.DependsOn([]pulumi.Resource{
			firebaseDatabase,
		}))
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		_, err = firebase.NewDatabaseInstance(ctx, "default", &firebase.DatabaseInstanceArgs{
			Project:    defaultProject.Project,
			Region:     pulumi.String("us-central1"),
			InstanceId: pulumi.String("rtdb-project-default-rtdb"),
			Type:       pulumi.String("DEFAULT_DATABASE"),
		}, pulumi.DependsOn([]pulumi.Resource{
			wait60Seconds,
		}))
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		return nil
	})
}

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using Pulumi;
using Gcp = Pulumi.Gcp;
using Time = Pulumiverse.Time;

return await Deployment.RunAsync(() => 
{
    var @default = new Gcp.Organizations.Project("default", new()
    {
        ProjectId = "rtdb-project",
        Name = "rtdb-project",
        OrgId = "123456789",
        DeletionPolicy = "DELETE",
        Labels = 
        {
            { "firebase", "enabled" },
        },
    });

    var firebase = new Gcp.Projects.Service("firebase", new()
    {
        Project = @default.ProjectId,
        ServiceName = "firebase.googleapis.com",
    });

    var defaultProject = new Gcp.Firebase.Project("default", new()
    {
        ProjectID = @default.ProjectId,
    }, new CustomResourceOptions
    {
        DependsOn =
        {
            firebase,
        },
    });

    var firebaseDatabase = new Gcp.Projects.Service("firebase_database", new()
    {
        Project = defaultProject.ProjectID,
        ServiceName = "firebasedatabase.googleapis.com",
    });

    var wait60Seconds = new Time.Sleep("wait_60_seconds", new()
    {
        CreateDuration = "60s",
    }, new CustomResourceOptions
    {
        DependsOn =
        {
            firebaseDatabase,
        },
    });

    var defaultDatabaseInstance = new Gcp.Firebase.DatabaseInstance("default", new()
    {
        Project = defaultProject.ProjectID,
        Region = "us-central1",
        InstanceId = "rtdb-project-default-rtdb",
        Type = "DEFAULT_DATABASE",
    }, new CustomResourceOptions
    {
        DependsOn =
        {
            wait60Seconds,
        },
    });

});

package generated_program;

import com.pulumi.Context;
import com.pulumi.Pulumi;
import com.pulumi.core.Output;
import com.pulumi.gcp.projects.Service;
import com.pulumi.gcp.projects.ServiceArgs;
import com.pulumiverse.time.Sleep;
import com.pulumiverse.time.SleepArgs;
import com.pulumi.gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstance;
import com.pulumi.gcp.firebase.DatabaseInstanceArgs;
import com.pulumi.resources.CustomResourceOptions;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Map;
import java.io.File;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;

public class App {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Pulumi.run(App::stack);
    }

    public static void stack(Context ctx) {
        var default_ = new com.pulumi.gcp.organizations.Project("default", com.pulumi.gcp.organizations.ProjectArgs.builder()
            .projectId("rtdb-project")
            .name("rtdb-project")
            .orgId("123456789")
            .deletionPolicy("DELETE")
            .labels(Map.of("firebase", "enabled"))
            .build());

        var firebase = new Service("firebase", ServiceArgs.builder()
            .project(default_.projectId())
            .service("firebase.googleapis.com")
            .build());

        var defaultProject = new com.pulumi.gcp.firebase.Project("defaultProject", com.pulumi.gcp.firebase.ProjectArgs.builder()
            .project(default_.projectId())
            .build(), CustomResourceOptions.builder()
                .dependsOn(firebase)
                .build());

        var firebaseDatabase = new Service("firebaseDatabase", ServiceArgs.builder()
            .project(defaultProject.project())
            .service("firebasedatabase.googleapis.com")
            .build());

        var wait60Seconds = new Sleep("wait60Seconds", SleepArgs.builder()
            .createDuration("60s")
            .build(), CustomResourceOptions.builder()
                .dependsOn(firebaseDatabase)
                .build());

        var defaultDatabaseInstance = new DatabaseInstance("defaultDatabaseInstance", DatabaseInstanceArgs.builder()
            .project(defaultProject.project())
            .region("us-central1")
            .instanceId("rtdb-project-default-rtdb")
            .type("DEFAULT_DATABASE")
            .build(), CustomResourceOptions.builder()
                .dependsOn(wait60Seconds)
                .build());

    }
}

resources:
  default:
    type: gcp:organizations:Project
    properties:
      projectId: rtdb-project
      name: rtdb-project
      orgId: '123456789'
      deletionPolicy: DELETE
      labels:
        firebase: enabled
  firebase:
    type: gcp:projects:Service
    properties:
      project: ${default.projectId}
      service: firebase.googleapis.com
  defaultProject:
    type: gcp:firebase:Project
    name: default
    properties:
      project: ${default.projectId}
    options:
      dependsOn:
        - ${firebase}
  firebaseDatabase:
    type: gcp:projects:Service
    name: firebase_database
    properties:
      project: ${defaultProject.project}
      service: firebasedatabase.googleapis.com
  wait60Seconds:
    type: time:Sleep
    name: wait_60_seconds
    properties:
      createDuration: 60s
    options:
      dependsOn:
        - ${firebaseDatabase}
  defaultDatabaseInstance:
    type: gcp:firebase:DatabaseInstance
    name: default
    properties:
      project: ${defaultProject.project}
      region: us-central1
      instanceId: rtdb-project-default-rtdb
      type: DEFAULT_DATABASE
    options:
      dependsOn:
        - ${wait60Seconds}

The type property set to DEFAULT_DATABASE creates the permanent default database. The dependsOn chain ensures APIs are enabled before database creation: firebase.googleapis.com first, then firebasedatabase.googleapis.com. The 60-second wait accounts for API propagation delays. The instanceId follows the pattern {project-id}-default-rtdb for default databases.

Beyond these examples

These snippets focus on specific database instance features: user and default database types, regional placement, and state management. They’re intentionally minimal rather than full Firebase deployments.

The examples assume pre-existing infrastructure such as a GCP project with Firebase enabled, firebasedatabase.googleapis.com API activated, and a Blaze plan for user databases. They focus on provisioning the database instance rather than configuring security rules or client access.

To keep things focused, common database patterns are omitted, including:

Database security rules configuration
Backup and restore operations
Database URL usage in client applications
Migration between database types or regions

These omissions are intentional: the goal is to illustrate how each database instance feature is wired, not provide drop-in Firebase modules. See the Firebase DatabaseInstance resource reference for all available configuration options.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Database Types & Limitations

What's the difference between DEFAULT_DATABASE and USER_DATABASE?

DEFAULT_DATABASE is limited to one per project and cannot be deleted once created. USER_DATABASE instances can be created and deleted freely but require a Blaze (paid) plan.

Can I delete a DEFAULT_DATABASE instance?

No, DEFAULT_DATABASE instances cannot be deleted once created. Use USER_DATABASE type for databases that may need deletion.

Do I need a paid plan to create Firebase Realtime Database instances?

USER_DATABASE instances require a Blaze plan. Projects can be upgraded using the Cloud Billing API. DEFAULT_DATABASE doesn’t have this requirement.

Configuration & Immutability

What properties can't I change after creating a database instance?

The instanceId, project, region, and type properties are immutable. Changing any of these requires replacing the entire resource.

Can I reuse an instance ID after deleting a database?

No, instance IDs cannot be reused after deletion. Choose your instanceId carefully as it becomes permanently unavailable once the instance is deleted.

Which regions are available for Firebase Realtime Database?

Check the available regions documentation for the current list of supported regions.

Setup & Dependencies

Why do I need to wait 60 seconds after enabling the Firebase Database API?

The default database example includes a 60-second wait after enabling firebasedatabase.googleapis.com to ensure the API is fully propagated before creating the instance.

What APIs need to be enabled before creating a database instance?

Enable firebase.googleapis.com and firebasedatabase.googleapis.com services on your project before creating database instances.

State Management

How do I disable a database without deleting it?

Set desiredState to DISABLED. This allows you to temporarily disable the database while preserving the instance and data. Set it back to ACTIVE to re-enable.

Using a different cloud?

Explore database guides for other cloud providers:

AWS Guides Azure Guides