# Connection Options

<!-- Version variant: raven_8; default: [/persistence/ravendb/connection.md](/persistence/ravendb/connection.md) -->


## Connection to the RavenDB server

The following sections outline various ways to connect to the RavenDB server.

### External shared store for all persisters

This is the recommended method to connect to the database.
The RavenDB `DocumentStore` instance can be provided directly to NServiceBus to use for all persisters. This enables sharing the same application database for NServiceBus data as well.

<!-- snippet: ravendb-persistence-external-store -->

```cs
var documentStore = new DocumentStore();
// configure documentStore here
var persistence = endpointConfiguration.UsePersistence<RavenDBPersistence>();
persistence.SetDefaultDocumentStore(documentStore);
```

<!-- endsnippet -->

### External store for a specific persister

An externally created `DocumentStore` instance can be used for a specific persister (e.g. timeouts) by using the following code:

<!-- snippet: ravendb-persistence-specific-external-store -->

```cs
var documentStore = new DocumentStore();
// configure documentStore here
var persistence = endpointConfiguration.UsePersistence<RavenDBPersistence>();
persistence.UseDocumentStoreForSubscriptions(documentStore);
persistence.UseDocumentStoreForSagas(documentStore);
```

<!-- endsnippet -->

### External shared store at initialization

To use an external `DocumentStore`, but defer its creation until NServiceBus initializes, a custom factory delegate can be provided which will allow the `DocumentStore` to be created with access to the settings and the dependency injection container. This gives the ability to configure the `DocumentStore` based on conventions derived from endpoint data present in the settings object. For example, the `DocumentStore` instance can be configured to use the [Endpoint Name](/nservicebus/endpoints/specify-endpoint-name.md) as its database name by accessing `readOnlySettings.EndpointName()`.

<!-- snippet: ravendb-persistence-create-store-by-func -->

```cs
DocumentStore documentStore;
var persistence = endpointConfiguration.UsePersistence<RavenDBPersistence>();
persistence.SetDefaultDocumentStore(
    readOnlySettings =>
    {
        documentStore = new DocumentStore();
        // configure documentStore here
        return documentStore;
    });
```

<!-- endsnippet -->

> [!NOTE]
> When the RavenDB `DocumentStore` is created by the user at endpoint configuration time, it's important to dispose it by calling the `Dispose()` method, before shutting down the endpoint process.


### External store at initialization for a specific persister

A `DocumentStore` can be created at initialization time, with access to endpoint settings and the dependency injection container, for usage in a specific persister (e.g. timeouts) by using the following code:

<!-- snippet: ravendb-persistence-specific-create-store-by-func -->

```cs
//TODO: instances of DocumentStore should be disposed of at endpoint cleanup time
DocumentStore subscriptionStore;
DocumentStore sagaStore;

var persistence = endpointConfiguration.UsePersistence<RavenDBPersistence>();
persistence.UseDocumentStoreForSubscriptions(
    readOnlySettings =>
    {
        subscriptionStore = new DocumentStore();
        // configure documentStore here
        return subscriptionStore;
    });
persistence.UseDocumentStoreForSagas(
    readOnlySettings =>
    {
        sagaStore = new DocumentStore();
        // configure documentStore here
        return sagaStore;
    });
```

<!-- endsnippet -->

> [!NOTE]
> When the RavenDB `DocumentStore` is created by the user at endpoint configuration time, it's important to dispose it by calling the `Dispose()` method, before shutting down the endpoint process.


### Default

If the connection is not specified by any other means, then a `DocumentStore` is created that connects to `http://localhost:8080` and uses the endpoint name as its database name. This default connection is used for all the persisters.

## Database used

> [!NOTE]
> The database must be created before using RavenDB persistence.

After connecting to a RavenDB server, NServiceBus decides which database to use. Unless it finds a default database specified in the connection string, NServiceBus uses the endpoint name as the database name. This means that if the endpoint is named `MyServer`, the database name will be `MyServer`. Each endpoint will have a separate database unless explicitly overridden via the connection string.

See also [How to specify endpoint name](/nservicebus/endpoints/specify-endpoint-name.md).