[Yandex Cloud documentation](../../index.md) > [Yandex Data Streams](../index.md) > [Getting started](index.md) > Creating a data stream

# Creating a data stream in Data Streams

{% list tabs group=instructions %}

- Management console {#console}

  1. In the [management console](https://console.yandex.cloud), select the [folder](../../resource-manager/concepts/resources-hierarchy.md#folder) where you want to create a [data stream](../concepts/glossary.md#stream-concepts).
  1. Navigate to **Data Streams**.
  1. Click **Create stream**.
  1. Specify the Yandex Managed Service for YDB database or [create](../../ydb/quickstart.md#create-db) a new one. If you chose to create a new database, click ![refresh-button](../../_assets/console-icons/arrow-rotate-right.svg) after creating it to refresh the list of databases.
  1. Name the data stream. The naming requirements are as follows:

     * Length: between 3 and 63 characters.
     * It can only contain lowercase Latin letters, numbers, and hyphens.
     * It must start with a letter and cannot end with a hyphen.

  1. Select a [pricing plan](../pricing.md) (for [serverless databases](../../ydb/concepts/serverless-and-dedicated.md#serverless)).
  1. Set the maximum [shard throughput](../concepts/glossary.md#shard-thoughput). A stream's throughput is equal to the product of the number of shards by the throughput of each of them.
  1. Optionally, enable [autopartitioning](../concepts/glossary.md#autopartitioning) and specify the following parameters:

     * **Shards**: Minimum and maximum number of [data shards](../concepts/glossary.md#shard).
     * **Autopartitioning mode**:
     
         * `Scale up`: Number of shards can be scaled up to the specified maximum value.
         * `Paused`: Number of shards will remain the same.
     
     * **Stabilization period**: Period of time in seconds after which the number of shards will start to scale when the load changes.
     * **Upper utilization limit**: Load threshold percentage at which the number of shards will scale up.

     {% note warning %}

     Once a data stream is created, you can enable autopartitioning or change its settings, but you cannot disable it.

     You cannot reduce the current number of shards, if automatically increased, for the created stream.

     {% endnote %}

  1. Specify the number of [data shards](../concepts/glossary.md#shard).

     {% note warning %}

     You cannot reduce the number of shards for the created stream.

     {% endnote %}

  1. Select data storage settings:

     * `Size Limit`: Specify the maximum data storage size.
     * `Time Limit`: Specify the maximum [data retention period](../concepts/glossary.md#retention-time) for the stream.

  1. Click **Create**.

  Wait for the stream to start. Once the stream is ready for use, its status will change from `CREATING` to `ACTIVE`.

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