How to run an API and its database side by side for backend engineers in 2026

Q: Is DevWebUI free for backend engineers?

DevWebUI is free, and its core features need no account. It is open source under the MIT License. It can be considered alongside terminal scripts and the run settings inside a development environment. The right choice depends on how the project is set up and which operating system the team uses.

Run an API and its database side by side with clear steps, port checks and a comparison of tools for backend engineers.

By SayDeploy · 2026-10-27

SayDeploy is published by LunarWerx, which makes some of the tools compared here.

Start the database first, wait until it accepts connections, then start the API with matching connection settings. Give each process its own port and keep both logs in view. DevWebUI can start, stop and restart both from one dashboard. ^[1]

Option	What it does	Cost
DevWebUI	Starts, stops and restarts local dev servers from one dashboard, and shows status, CPU, memory and logs. ^[1]	Free, and core features need no account. ^[1]
Terminal scripts	A set of commands run from a terminal. Check whether it restarts a server that stops and what it shows when a server fails.	not published
Development environment run settings	Run settings inside a development environment. Check whether they start services in a set order.	not published

What you need before you start

Before an API and its database run side by side, each one needs its own folder, start command and port, written down in one place. Check that the language runtime, package manager and database software are installed, and that the API's settings point to the database's address, port and login details. Decide which one starts first. The API usually cannot connect until the database is accepting connections, so the database goes first. If the project uses migrations or seed data, have them ready to run once the database is up and before the API handles requests. Keep a record of the ports each one uses, such as the port the API serves and the port the database listens on, so a clash is easy to spot. Give each process a clear name so its logs and windows are easy to tell apart. Also know how each one stops and what its errors look like. A short note on how to reset the database to a clean state helps when a test run leaves old data behind. That knowledge makes it easier to pick between manual commands, saved scripts, or a management tool.

Step by step

Write down the database and the API as separate services. For each one, note the folder, start command, port and any settings it needs.

Install the dependencies for both. Confirm that the database settings and the API's connection settings match.

Start the database first and wait until it accepts connections.

Run any migrations or seed data the API needs, so its first requests have tables and records to work with.

Start the API and read its startup output. Fix any connection errors before going further.

Give each process a clear name so its logs and windows are easy to trace back to the right service.

Watch for port conflicts. If a port is already taken, find the process using it and either stop it or change the configuration.

Send the API a request that reads from the database, then one that writes to it. Check that both results are correct.

Save the working order of steps and the commands used, so the same pair can start again later without guesswork.

Add automation only after the manual steps work. A tool or script should make the routine easier without hiding what each process is doing.

Tools that can do it

DevWebUI is made by the team that publishes this site. DevWebUI lets developers start, stop and restart local dev servers from one dashboard, and see each one's status, CPU, memory and logs. ^[1] One small file per repo can list the servers to run, and DevWebUI writes changes made in the dashboard back to that file. ^[1] When a port is already taken, DevWebUI shows which process holds it and can free the port if you ask. ^[1] Each managed server can be opened through a DevWebUI address on its own port, with web and WebSocket hot reload traffic passed through. ^[1] Errors from the running servers are collected into one log that merges repeats and is kept across restarts, and each file:line link opens in your editor. ^[1] A command-line tool called devwebui talks to the same REST API the dashboard uses, so processes can be controlled without opening the dashboard. ^[1] If the last shutdown was not clean, the next launch loads your projects but starts nothing automatically. ^[1] There is a prebuilt Windows x64 app. ^[1] On other systems you run DevWebUI from source with Bun, a JavaScript runtime, and the tray icon is Windows-only for now. ^[1] On Windows, a tray icon can run DevWebUI in the background with Open, Restart and Quit options. ^[1] It is open source under the MIT License. ^[1]

Terminal scripts are another option. They suit developers who want to control servers directly from the command line. Check whether a script restarts a server that stops, and what it shows when a server fails.

Run settings inside a development environment are a third option. Check whether they start services in a set order and how they report errors.

Other tools may organize local processes in different ways. Check the features, setup style and operating system support before choosing one for a specific project.

Common mistakes to avoid

Starting the API before the database is ready can cause connection errors that look like code bugs. Changing a database port or login in one place but not the other leads to failures that are hard to trace. Ignoring the database's own logs can slow debugging, because the useful error may appear in its window rather than the API's. Leaving an old database process running can block its port on the next start. Seeding data by hand each time, instead of keeping a repeatable script, makes results differ between runs. Changing settings without writing them down makes the working setup hard to reproduce. Test the start order after each change so the pair stays easy to understand.

Frequently asked questions

How can backend engineers run an API and its database side by side?

Start the database first and wait until it accepts connections. Then start the API with matching connection settings, and give each process its own port. Keep both logs in view so an error from either one is easy to spot. Save the order of commands so the same pair can start again later. A management tool can run both from one place, if the team prefers that over manual commands or saved scripts.

Should an API and its database use different ports?

Yes, they cannot share one port, because only one process can hold a port at a time. Record the port each one uses before starting either. If a clash happens, find the process holding the port and decide whether to stop it or change the configuration. A written list of ports makes the cause of a clash much easier to find.

Is DevWebUI free for backend engineers?

DevWebUI is free, and its core features need no account. ^[1] It is open source under the MIT License. ^[1] It can be considered alongside terminal scripts and the run settings inside a development environment. The right choice depends on how the project is set up and which operating system the team uses.

Can DevWebUI show errors from an API and its database in one place?

DevWebUI collects errors into one log that merges repeats and is kept across restarts, and each file:line link opens in your editor. ^[1] Keep each process named clearly so its lines are easy to tell apart. Read the database's errors before the API's, since a failed database connection often causes the API errors that follow. Checking in that order can save time.

What should backend engineers check before choosing a tool for an API and its database?

Check how the tool starts services in order, how it handles a port that is already taken, where it stores project settings, and which operating systems it supports. Also check whether it can start a database and wait for it before the API begins. Compare these points with the way the team already runs its projects, so the choice fits the work rather than adding another step.

DevWebUI is free, and its core features need no account. ^[1]

Try DevWebUI

Sources

DevWebUI's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)