---
title: ""
url: "https://docs.yugabyte.com/stable/deploy/multi-dc/async-replication/includes/transactional-add-db/"
---

# 

The database should have at least one table in order to be added to replication. If it is a colocated database then there should be at least one colocated table in the database in order for it to be added to replication.

- [![Server Icon](/icons/database.svg) yugabyted](#yugabyted-add-db)
- [Manual](#local-add-db)

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1. Create a checkpoint on the Primary universe for all the databases that you want to add to an existing replication group.
   
   ```sh
   ./bin/yugabyted xcluster add_to_checkpoint \
       --replication_id <replication_id> \
       --databases <comma_separated_database_names>
   ```
   
   You should see output similar to the following:
   
   ```output
   Waiting for checkpointing of database to complete
   Successfully checkpointed database db2 for xCluster replication group repl_group1
   Bootstrap is not required for adding database to xCluster replication
   Create equivalent YSQL objects (schemas, tables, indexes, ...) for the database in the standby universe
   ```
2. If bootstrapping is required, perform a full copy of the database(s) on the Primary to the Standby using distributed [backup](/stable/deploy/reference/configuration/yugabyted/#backup "backup") and [restore](/stable/deploy/reference/configuration/yugabyted/#restore "restore"). If your source database is not empty or you are using automatic mode, it must be bootstrapped.
3. Enable [point-in-time recovery (PITR)](/stable/deploy/manage/backup-restore/point-in-time-recovery/enable-pitr/ "point-in-time recovery (PITR)") on the database(s) on both the Primary and Standby universes:
   
   ```sh
   ./bin/yugabyted configure point_in_time_recovery \
       --enable \
       --retention <retention_period> \
       --database <database_name>
   ```
   
   The `retention_period` must be greater than the amount of time you expect the Primary universe to be down before it self recovers or before you perform a failover to the Standby universe.
4. Add the databases to the xCluster replication.
   
   ```sh
   ./bin/yugabyted xcluster add_to_replication \
       --databases <comma_separated_database_names> \
       --replication_id <replication_id> \
       --target_address <IP-of-any-target-node> \
       --bootstrap_done
   ```

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1. Create a checkpoint.
   
   ```sh
   ./bin/yb-admin \
   --master_addresses <primary_master_addresses> \
   add_namespace_to_xcluster_checkpoint <replication_group_id> <namespace_name>
   ```
   
   You should see output similar to the following:
   
   ```output
   Waiting for checkpointing of database to complete
   Successfully checkpointed database db2 for xCluster replication group repl_group1
   Bootstrap is not required for adding database to xCluster replication
   Create equivalent YSQL objects (schemas, tables, indexes, ...) for the database in the standby universe
   ```
2. If bootstrapping is required, perform a full copy of the database(s) on the Primary to the Standby using distributed [backup](/stable/deploy/reference/configuration/yugabyted/#backup "backup") and [restore](/stable/deploy/reference/configuration/yugabyted/#restore "restore"). If your source database is not empty or you are using automatic mode, it must be bootstrapped.
3. Enable [point-in-time recovery (PITR)](/stable/deploy/manage/backup-restore/point-in-time-recovery/enable-pitr/ "point-in-time recovery (PITR)") on the database(s) on both the Primary and Standby universes:
   
   ```sh
   ./bin/yb-admin \
       --master_addresses <standby_master_addresses> \
       create_snapshot_schedule 1 10 ysql.yugabyte
   ```
4. Set up the database using the checkpoint.
   
   ```sh
   ./bin/yb-admin \
   --master_addresses <primary_master_addresses> \
   add_namespace_to_xcluster_replication <replication_group_id> <namespace_name> <standby_master_addresses>
   ```
   
   You should see output similar to the following:
   
   ```output
   Successfully added db2 to xCluster Replication group repl_group1
   ```