# Connecting to your DB instance using Oracle SQL developer
<a name="USER_ConnectToOracleInstance.SQLDeveloper"></a>

In this procedure, you connect to your DB instance by using Oracle SQL Developer. To download a standalone version of this utility, see the [ Oracle SQL developer downloads page](https://www.oracle.com/tools/downloads/sqldev-downloads.html).

To connect to your DB instance, you need its DNS name and port number. For information about finding the DNS name and port number for a DB instance, see [Finding the endpoint of your RDS for Oracle DB instance](USER_Endpoint.md).

**To connect to a DB instance using SQL developer**

1. Start Oracle SQL Developer.

1. On the **Connections** tab, choose the **add (\$1)** icon.  
![\[Oracle SQL Developer with add icon highlighted\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/images/oracle-sqldev-plus.png)

1. In the **New/Select Database Connection** dialog box, provide the information for your DB instance:
   + For **Connection Name**, enter a name that describes the connection, such as `Oracle-RDS`.
   + For **Username**, enter the name of the database administrator for the DB instance.
   + For **Password**, enter the password for the database administrator.
   + For **Hostname**, enter the DNS name of the DB instance.
   + For **Port**, enter the port number.
   + For **SID**, enter the DB name. You can find the DB name on the **Configuration** tab of your database details page.

   The completed dialog box should look similar to the following.  
![\[Creating a new connection in Oracle SQL Developer\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/images/oracle-sqldev-newcon.png)

1. Choose **Connect**.

1. You can now start creating your own databases and running queries against your DB instance and databases as usual. To run a test query against your DB instance, do the following:

   1. In the **Worksheet** tab for your connection, enter the following SQL query.

      ```
      SELECT NAME FROM V$DATABASE;
      ```

   1. Choose the **execute** icon to run the query.  
![\[Running a query in Oracle SQL Developer using the execute icon\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/images/oracle-sqldev-run.png)

      SQL Developer returns the database name.  
![\[Query results in Oracle SQL Developer\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/images/oracle-sqldev-results.png)