---
title: Create a bucket
seotitle: Create a bucket in InfluxDB
description: Create buckets to store time series data in InfluxDB using the InfluxDB UI or the influx CLI.
menu:
  influxdb_2_0:
    name: Create a bucket
    parent: Manage buckets
weight: 201
---

Use the InfluxDB user interface (UI) or the `influx` command line interface (CLI)
to create a bucket.

{{% note %}}
#### Bucket limits
A single InfluxDB 2.0 OSS instance supports approximately 20 buckets actively being
written to or queried across all organizations depending on the use case.
Any more than that can adversely affect performance.
{{% /note %}}

## Create a bucket in the InfluxDB UI

There are two places you can create a bucket in the UI.

### Create a bucket from the Load Data menu

1. In the navigation menu on the left, select **Data (Load Data)** > **Buckets**.

    {{< nav-icon "data" "v2" >}}

2. Click **{{< icon "plus" "v2" >}} Create Bucket** in the upper right.
3. Enter a **Name** for the bucket.
4. Select when to **Delete Data**:
    - **Never** to retain data forever.  
    - **Older than** to choose a specific retention period.
5. Click **Create** to create the bucket.

### Create a bucket in the Data Explorer

1. In the navigation menu on the left, select **Explore* (**Data Explorer**).

    {{< nav-icon "data-explorer" "v2" >}}

2. In the **From** panel in the Flux Builder, select `+ Create Bucket`.
3. Enter a **Name** for the bucket.
4. Select when to **Delete Data**:
    - **Never** to retain data forever.  
    - **Older than** to choose a specific retention period.
5. Click **Create** to create the bucket.

## Create a bucket using the influx CLI

Use the [`influx bucket create` command](/influxdb/v2.0/reference/cli/influx/bucket/create)
to create a new bucket. A bucket requires the following:

- bucket name
- organization name or ID
- retention period (duration to keep data) in one of the following units:
  - nanoseconds (`ns`)
  - microseconds (`us` or `µs`)
  - milliseconds (`ms`)
  - seconds (`s`)
  - minutes (`m`)
  - hours (`h`)
  - days (`d`)
  - weeks (`w`)

```sh
# Syntax
influx bucket create -n <bucket-name> -o <org-name> -r <retention-period-duration>

# Example
influx bucket create -n my-bucket -o my-org -r 72h
```

## Create a bucket using the InfluxDB API

Use the InfluxDB API to create a bucket.

{{% note %}}
#### Bucket limits
A single InfluxDB 2.0 OSS instance supports approximately 20 buckets actively being
written to or queried across all organizations depending on the use case.
Any more than that can adversely affect performance.
{{% /note %}}

Create a bucket in InfluxDB using an HTTP request to the InfluxDB API `/buckets` endpoint.
Use the `POST` request method and include the following in your request:

| Requirement          | Include by                                               |
|:-----------          |:----------                                               |
| Organization         | Use `orgID` in the JSON payload.                |
| Bucket               | Use `name` in the JSON payload.                 |
| Retention Rules      | Use `retentionRules` in the JSON payload.    |
| API token | Use the `Authorization: Token` header.                   |

#### Example

The URL depends on the version and location of your InfluxDB 2.0 instance _(see [InfluxDB URLs](/influxdb/v2.0/reference/urls/))_.

```sh
{{% get-shared-text "api/v2.0/buckets/oss/create.sh" %}}
```

_For information about **InfluxDB API options and response codes**, see
[InfluxDB API Buckets documentation](/influxdb/v2.0/api/#operation/PostBuckets)._