# Set up persistent storage

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***

By default, canvases are kept in memory and are lost when the server restarts. To keep them, save them to a SQLite database file.

You need **Node.js 22.13 or later**.

## Save canvases to SQLite[​](#save-canvases-to-sqlite "Direct link to Save canvases to SQLite")

1. In `eventcatalog.config.js`, set `storage`:

   eventcatalog.config.js

   ```
   export default {
     storage: {
       type: 'sqlite',
       path: '.eventcatalog/eventcatalog.db',
     },
   };
   ```

   The path is relative to your catalog. If you leave it out, it defaults to `.eventcatalog/eventcatalog.db`.

2. Restart `eventcatalog dev` or `eventcatalog start`. EventCatalog creates the database, and keeps it up to date each time it starts.

3. Open **Studio**. The bottom of the list shows where canvases are saved, for example **Saved in .eventcatalog/eventcatalog.db**.

## In a container[​](#in-a-container "Direct link to In a container")

Put the database on a volume, so it survives redeploys:

eventcatalog.config.js

```
export default {
  storage: {
    type: 'sqlite',
    path: '/data/eventcatalog.db',
  },
};
```

Mount a volume at `/data` when you run the container.

## How canvases are saved[​](#how-canvases-are-saved "Direct link to How canvases are saved")

Canvases save automatically as people work. The server keeps a working copy of each canvas in memory, and writes it to the database a moment after each change and when the server stops, so storage never slows the canvas down.

Canvases stay in your infrastructure. Nothing is sent to a third party.

| Option         | Type                     | Default                           | Description                                                                                |
| -------------- | ------------------------ | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `storage.type` | `'memory'` \| `'sqlite'` | `'memory'`                        | `'memory'` keeps canvases while the server runs. `'sqlite'` keeps them in a database file. |
| `storage.path` | `string`                 | `'.eventcatalog/eventcatalog.db'` | The database file, relative to your catalog.                                               |