---
sidebar_position: 3
title: "3 - Sharing Your Database"
sidebar_label: "3 - Sharing Data"
description: "Learn how to share your databases and collaborate with your team"
sql_editor: true
---

import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs';
import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem';
import MotherDuckSQLEditor from '@site/src/components/MotherDuckSQLEditor';

In this section, you'll learn how to share your databases with colleagues and collaborate effectively using MotherDuck's sharing features.

👈 **[Go back to Part 2: Loading Your Dataset](../part-2)**

## Creating and sharing your data

Let's create a table with sample data in your playground database, then share it with others. The `docs_playground` database is automatically created when you connect, so you can start experimenting right away!

First, let's populate your playground database with some currency exchange data:

<MotherDuckSQLEditor
  database="docs_playground"
  query="CREATE TABLE docs_playground.currency_rates AS
SELECT
   'USD' as currency_code,
   'US Dollar' as currency_name,
   1.0 as rate_to_usd,
   '2024-01-15' as rate_date
UNION ALL
SELECT 'EUR', 'Euro', 0.85, '2024-01-15'
UNION ALL
SELECT 'GBP', 'British Pound', 0.75, '2024-01-15'
UNION ALL
SELECT 'JPY', 'Japanese Yen', 110.0, '2024-01-15';" />


## Sharing your database

With your database and sample data in place, you can share this dataset with others. MotherDuck shares create a point-in-time snapshot of your database that can be accessed by specified users or groups.

When creating a share, the most important parameters control **access scope**, **visibility**, and **update behavior**. By default, shares use `ACCESS ORGANIZATION` (only your organization members can access), `VISIBILITY DISCOVERABLE` (appears in your organization's shared database list), and `UPDATE MANUAL` (creates a static snapshot that doesn't auto-update).

The syntax to create a share visible to everyone in your Organization is `CREATE SHARE <share name> from <database name>`.

<Tabs>
<TabItem value="sql" label="SQL">

<MotherDuckSQLEditor
  database="docs_playground"
  query="CREATE SHARE IF NOT EXISTS currency_data_share FROM docs_playground (ACCESS ORGANIZATION , VISIBILITY DISCOVERABLE);" />

</TabItem>
<TabItem value="ui" label="MotherDuck UI">

You can also create shares through the MotherDuck UI by clicking the dropdown menu next to your database and selecting the share option. This will open a window to configure your share settings.

![share 1](./img/screenshot_tutorial_share_1_2.png)
![share 2](./img/screenshot_tutorial_share_2_2.png)

</TabItem>
</Tabs>

Once created, all members of your organization will be able to view this share in the MotherDuck UI under "Shared with me".

Learn more about [sharing in MotherDuck](../../key-tasks/sharing-data/sharing-within-org.md).

## Understanding share configuration

When creating shares, you can control three key aspects: **who can access** the data, **how users discover** the share, and **when the data updates**. Each parameter has specific options that determine the sharing behavior.

### ACCESS - who can access the share

- **`ACCESS ORGANIZATION`** (default): Only members of your organization can access the share
- **`ACCESS UNRESTRICTED`**: All MotherDuck users in the same cloud region as your Organization can access the share
- **`ACCESS RESTRICTED`**: Only the share owner has initial access; additional users must be granted access through `GRANT` commands

### VISIBILITY - how users discover the share

- **`VISIBILITY DISCOVERABLE`** (default): The share appears in your organization's "Shared with me" section for easy discovery
- **`VISIBILITY HIDDEN`**: Share can only be accessed through a direct URL; not listed in any user interface

:::info Important Visibility Rules
- Organization and Restricted shares default to `DISCOVERABLE`
- Unrestricted shares can only be `HIDDEN`
- Hidden shares can only be used with `ACCESS RESTRICTED`
:::

### UPDATE - when share data updates

- **`UPDATE MANUAL`** (default): Share content only updates when you run `UPDATE SHARE` command
- **`UPDATE AUTOMATIC`**: Share automatically reflects database changes within ~5 minutes

### Example share configurations

<MotherDuckSQLEditor
  database="docs_playground"
  query="-- Organization share (most common)
CREATE SHARE IF NOT EXISTS team_currency_analysis FROM docs_playground (
    ACCESS ORGANIZATION,
    VISIBILITY DISCOVERABLE,
    UPDATE MANUAL
);" />

<MotherDuckSQLEditor
  database="docs_playground"
  query="-- Restricted share for selective access
CREATE SHARE IF NOT EXISTS private_analysis FROM docs_playground (
    ACCESS RESTRICTED,
    VISIBILITY HIDDEN,
    UPDATE AUTOMATIC
);" />

## Querying shared data

After creating a share, authorized users can access the shared database in two ways: by using the share URL directly or by attaching it as a database alias:

```sql
-- Attach a shared database
ATTACH 'md:_share/docs_playground/b556630d-74f1-435c-9459-cfb87d349cb3' AS shared_currency;

-- Query the shared data
SELECT * FROM shared_currency.currency_rates 
WHERE rate_to_usd < 1.0
ORDER BY rate_to_usd DESC;
```

## Managing Shares

You can also manage your existing shares:

<MotherDuckSQLEditor
  database="docs_playground"
  query="SELECT name, source_db_name, access, visibility FROM MD_INFORMATION_SCHEMA.OWNED_SHARES WHERE name LIKE '%currency%';" />

## Going further

Now that you've mastered the basics, here are some next steps to explore:

- Learn about [MotherDuck's Dual Execution](/key-tasks/running-hybrid-queries/) feature
- Connect to your favorite BI tools: [Tableau](../../integrations/bi-tools/tableau.mdx), [Power BI](../../integrations/bi-tools/powerbi.mdx) and learn more about [read scaling](/key-tasks/authenticating-and-connecting-to-motherduck/read-scaling/)
- Set up data pipelines with [dbt](../../integrations/transformation/dbt.md)
- Look at our [supported integrations](/integrations) to integrate with your data stack.