TALER-EXCHANGE-DBINIT(1)

📦 version 1.3.0, in nixos 26.05, nixpkgs unstable

💅 taler-exchange-dbinit — the whole "actually set up your Taler exchange database" moment

okay so this page is from the GNU Taler manual set, bestie — specifically the taler-exchange-dbinit page. it's giving "database origin story" and honestly? iconic. let's get into it 🫶

✨ NAME ✨

taler-exchange-dbinit — initialize the Taler exchange database 💖

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

taler-exchange-dbinit [-a | --inject-auditor]
[-c FILENAME | --config=FILENAME]
[-d SCHEMA | --disable-customization=SCHEMA]
[-e SCHEMA | --enable-customization=SCHEMA] [-g | --gc] [-h | --help]
[-L LOGLEVEL | --loglevel=LOGLEVEL] [-l FILENAME | --logfile=FILENAME]
[-r | --reset] [-s | --shardunlock] [-v | --version]

like, that's the whole mood board right there. copy it, don't retype it, i'm begging 🙈

✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

so taler-exchange-dbinit is a command-line tool and its entire job is to initialize the Taler exchange database. it creates the necessary tables and indices so the Taler exchange can actually operate. no tables, no indices, no exchange — that's the vibe check and it fails. 💀

its options are as follows (and yes, they're listed right here inside DESCRIPTION, that's just how this page rolls):

🎀 OPTIONS (living inside DESCRIPTION, don't @ me) 🎀

  • -a | --inject-auditor — installs triggers that notify real-time auditors about relevant changes to the database state. basically giving your auditors a little push notification whenever something happens. 👀
  • -c FILENAME | --config=FILENAME — use the configuration and other resources for the exchange to operate from FILENAME. that's the file where all the settings live, fr fr.
  • -d SCHEMA | --disable-customization=SCHEMA — removes rules from a customization schema from an exchange database. ⚠️ heads up though: doing this may result in an irrevocable loss of statistics, depending on how the rules are written. irrevocable. gone. periodt. don't say we didn't warn you 😭
  • -e SCHEMA | --enable-customization=SCHEMA — loads a customization schema to inject deployment-specific rules into an exchange database. it's how you add operator-specific AML rules and statistics via triggers that are defined in their own schema. very "bring your own rules" energy. 🦋
  • -g | --gc — garbage collect the database: deletes all unnecessary data in it. spring cleaning for your tables, slay. 🧹✨
  • -h | --help — prints short help on options. when in doubt, ask for help, that's main character energy. 👑
  • -L LOGLEVEL | --loglevel=LOGLEVEL — specifies the log level to use. accepted values are: DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR. pick your fighter. 🔥
  • -l FILENAME | --logfile=FILENAME — sends logging output to FILENAME. logs gotta go somewhere, bestie. 🍓
  • -r | --reset — drops tables. dangerous — it will delete all existing data in the database before it creates the tables. like, all of it. this is not a drill. 💀💀💀
  • -s | --shardunlock — clears the (revolving) shards table. this is needed to clear locks that may still be held after a crash — of taler-exchange-aggregator or of the operating system, say due to a power outage — or if the AGGREGATOR_SHARD_SIZE option got changed in the configuration file. crash cleanup crew, reporting for duty. 🫶
  • -v | –version — prints version information. know your version, know yourself. ⭐

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

go read these next, i'm obsessed with cross-references:

💀 BUGS 💀

found a bug? report it by using https://bugs.taler.net or by sending electronic mail to <taler@gnu.org>. the devs genuinely wanna hear it, no cap. 🐛

🧚 AUTHOR 🧚

GNU Taler contributors — collective slay. 💜

2014-2025 Taler Systems SA (GPLv3+ or GFDL 1.3+)

and that's the page, bestie!! 💅 this was version 1.0, dated Dec 22, 2025, brought to you by GNU Taler — go forth, init that database, and please don't touch -r unless you mean it 😭🫶✨

📦 where this page comes from