# How to create a read-only user for your database?

If your app is about searching (business directories, dictionaries, etc) or a catalog of browsable items, it’s always a good idea to let your API use a read-only database user. Another use case would be for doing backups, no write permissions needed either.

Here is how to do that for PostgreSQL v9.0+ (syntax quasi-similar for MySQL):
```sql
-- Say we just created the user "pouet"

-- Allow the user to CONNECT
GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE mydb TO pouet;

-- Allow the user to SELECT
GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA public TO pouet;
GRANT SELECT ON ALL SEQUENCES IN SCHEMA public TO pouet;
GRANT SELECT ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA public TO pouet;
```

You can then check the user’s permission with:
```
mydb=# \du+ pouet
```