# Configuring Storage Backends
MemGPT supports both local and database storage for archival memory. You can configure which storage backend to use via `memgpt configure`. For larger datasets, we recommend using a database backend.

!!! warning "Switching storage backends"

    MemGPT can only use one storage backend at a time. If you switch from local to database storage, you will need to re-load data and start agents from scratch. We currently do not support migrating between storage backends.

## Local
MemGPT will default to using local storage (saved at `~/.memgpt/archival/` for loaded data sources, and `~/.memgpt/agents/` for agent storage).

## Postgres
In user to us the Postgres backend, you must have a running Postgres database that MemGPT can write to. You can enable the Postgres backend by running `memgpt configure` and selecting `postgres` for archival storage, which will then prompt for the database URI (e.g. `postgresql+pg8000://<USER>:<PASSWORD>@<IP>:5432/<DB_NAME>`). To enable the Postgres backend, make sure to install the required dependencies with:
```
pip install 'pymemgpt[postgres]'
```

### Running Postgres
You will need to have a URI to a Postgres database which support [pgvector](https://github.com/pgvector/pgvector). You can either use a [hosted provider](https://github.com/pgvector/pgvector/issues/54) or [install pgvector](https://github.com/pgvector/pgvector#installation).


## LanceDB
In order to use the LanceDB backend.

 You have to enable the LanceDB backend by running 
 
 ```
 memgpt configure
 ```
  and selecting `lancedb` for archival storage, and database URI (e.g. `./.lancedb`"), Empty archival uri is also handled and default uri is set at `./.lancedb`. 

To enable the LanceDB backend, make sure to install the required dependencies with:
```
pip install 'pymemgpt[lancedb]'
```
for more checkout [lancedb docs](https://lancedb.github.io/lancedb/)


## Chroma
(Coming soon)