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.