---
name: cloudant-gen2-getting-started
title: Getting started with IBM Cloudant
description: The IBM® Cloudant® for IBM Cloud® *Getting started* tutorial demonstrates how to use the IBM Cloud® dashboard to create an IBM Cloudant service instance and obtain service credentials to connect to it. Finally, you will use the IBM Cloudant database using the Dashboard.
last-updated: 2026-06-01
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloudant-gen2?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Getting started with IBM Cloudant
{: #getting-started-with-cloudant}
{: toc-content-type="tutorial"}
{: toc-services="Cloudant"}
{: toc-completion-time="20m"}

The IBM® Cloudant® for IBM Cloud® *Getting started* tutorial demonstrates how to use the IBM Cloud® dashboard to create an IBM Cloudant service instance and obtain service credentials to connect to it. Finally, you will use the IBM Cloudant database using the Dashboard.

{: shortdesc}

If you'd prefer to create a IBM Cloudant instance using the command line, see the [Creating a service instance using the IBM Cloud CLI](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloudant-gen2?topic=cloudant-gen2-creating-an-ibm-cloudant-instance-on-ibm-cloud-by-using-the-ibm-cloud-cli&format=markdown) tutorial.
{: tip}

## Objectives
{: #objectives-get-started}

- Create a service instance.
- Create an IBM Cloudant service credential.
- Create databases and JSON documents using the IBM Cloudant Dashboard.

## Creating a service instance
{: #creating-an-ibm-cloudant-instance-on-ibm-cloud}
{: step}

1.  Log in to your IBM Cloud account, and click `Create resource`.

    ![IBM Cloud Dashboard, which includes Build tile, Monitor your resources tile, Create and deploy an application tile, API Connect tile, Integrate Watson with anything tile, and Watson starter kits tile. ](images/img0001.png){: caption="IBM Cloud Dashboard" caption-side="bottom"}

    The IBM Cloud Dashboard can be found at:
    [https://cloud.ibm.com/](https://cloud.ibm.com/){: external}.
    After you authenticate with your username and password,
    you're presented with the IBM Cloud Dashboard.
    {: note}

2.  Type `Cloudant` in the Search bar and click to open it.

3.  Select an offering and an environment.

4.  Type an instance name.

    ![Create the IBM Cloudant service name and credentials.](images/img0005b.png){: caption="IBM Cloudant service name and credentials" caption-side="bottom"}


    (In this example, the instance name is `Cloudant-o7`.) Verify that the resource group is correct. Add a tag if you like. 

5.  To create the service, click `Create`:

    After you click `Create`, the system displays a message to say that the instance is being provisioned, which returns you to the Resource list. From the Resource list, you see that the status for your instance is, `Provision in progress`.

6.  After you create an instance, the status changes to `Active`.

7.  Click the instance, and proceed to the next section, [Creating service credentials](#creating-service-credentials).

## Creating service credentials
{: #creating-service-credentials}
{: step}

For more information about where to find your credentials, see [Locating your credentials](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloudant-gen2?topic=cloudant-gen2-locating-your-service-credentials&format=markdown).

## Using your IBM Cloudant service with the Dashboard
{: #using-your-cloudant-service-with-the-dashboard}
{: step}

Use the IBM Cloudant Dashboard to manage your IBM Cloudant service. For more information, see [Using the IBM Cloudant Dashboard](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloudant-gen2?topic=cloudant-gen2-navigate-the-dashboard&format=markdown).