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 application integration.

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 unless you set desiredState to DISABLED.

Create a disabled user database

Teams often pre-provision databases in a disabled state to prevent accidental writes before configuration is complete.

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 intent, though it’s the default. The desiredState property controls whether the database accepts connections; DISABLED prevents all reads and writes until you change it to ACTIVE. This is useful for staging environments or databases awaiting security rule configuration.

Provision the project default database

Every Firebase project can have one default database that cannot be deleted once created. This example shows the full 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 project’s immutable default database. The dependsOn chain ensures APIs are enabled before database creation. The 60-second wait accounts for API propagation delays across Google’s infrastructure. Default databases use a special naming convention: {project-id}-default-rtdb.

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, the 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 application integration.

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

Security rules configuration
Database URL usage in application code
Backup and restore operations
Multi-region replication strategies

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 a single database per project that cannot be deleted once created (only disabled). USER_DATABASE is the default type, allows multiple databases, and can be deleted, but requires a Blaze plan.

Can I delete a default Firebase Realtime Database?

No, databases with type set to DEFAULT_DATABASE cannot be deleted once created. You can only disable them by setting desiredState to DISABLED.

Do I need a paid plan to create user databases?

Yes, creating USER_DATABASE instances requires a Blaze (pay-as-you-go) plan. Projects can be upgraded using the Cloud Billing API.

How do I disable a database without deleting it?

Set desiredState to DISABLED. This works for both DEFAULT_DATABASE and USER_DATABASE types. Set it back to ACTIVE to reenable.

Instance IDs & Immutability

What properties can't be changed after creation?

The instanceId, project, region, and type properties are all immutable and require replacing the resource to change.

Can I reuse an instance ID after deleting a database?

No, instance IDs cannot be reused after deletion. You must choose a new unique instanceId when creating a replacement database.

What regions are available for Firebase Realtime Database?

Check the available regions list at https://firebase.google.com/docs/projects/locations#rtdb-locations. The region property is immutable after creation.

Setup & Dependencies

Why does the default database example include a 60-second wait?

The example uses time.Sleep with a 60-second duration after enabling the firebasedatabase.googleapis.com service, indicating that API propagation time may be needed before creating the database instance.

What's the database URL format for my instance?

For us-central1 instances, the URL is https://{instance-id}.firebaseio.com. For other regions, it’s https://{instance-id}.{region}.firebasedatabase.app.

Using a different cloud?

Explore database guides for other cloud providers:

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