Using redis-cli

redis-cli is the command line interface that ships with the official Redis distribution. Because Upstash speaks the native Redis protocol over TCP, you can use redis-cli to connect to your Upstash database and run any Redis command directly from your terminal.

Upstash exposes your database over both TCP and HTTP. redis-cli and other traditional clients use the TCP (RESP) protocol, while the HTTP/REST API and @upstash/redis SDK are built for serverless environments. This page covers the TCP path with redis-cli.

Install redis-cli#

redis-cli is included in the official Redis distribution. If you don't have Redis installed, follow the Redis installation guide.

Get your connection details#

Open your database in the Upstash Console and go to the Details tab. You will need the Endpoint, Port, and the Password (token) of your database.

Connect#

Upstash enables TLS on every database, so you must pass the --tls flag when connecting with redis-cli:

> redis-cli --tls -a PASSWORD -h ENDPOINT -p PORTENDPOINT:PORT> set counter 0OKENDPOINT:PORT> get counter"0"ENDPOINT:PORT> incr counter(int) 1ENDPOINT:PORT> incr counter(int) 2

You can also connect using a single rediss:// connection string (note the double s, which signals TLS):

> redis-cli -u rediss://default:PASSWORD@ENDPOINT:PORT

TCP or HTTP?#

Upstash serves the same database over two protocols, so you can pick whichever fits your environment:

• TCP (RESP) — Use redis-cli and standard Redis clients such as ioredis, redis-py, or jedis. This is the right choice for local development, scripting, and long-running servers.
• HTTP/REST — Use the @upstash/redis SDK or the REST API. This is the right choice for serverless platforms like Vercel and Cloudflare Workers, where TCP-based clients can run into connection limits.