Error: dynamodb local unable to open database file

“Unable to open database file” means DynamoDB Local could not access its SQLite storage at the configured path. Check the parent directory and the user running the process. The database file is created by DynamoDB Local; you do not need to create an empty database file manually.

1. Inspect the startup command and its working directory. A relative -dbPath resolves from that directory. Create the intended data directory before starting the process.
2. Ensure the runtime user can traverse and write the directory and access existing database files. In Docker, check the mounted directory and container user, not only host permissions.
3. Check available disk space and whether the filesystem or mount is read-only. Avoid two processes opening the same local data directory.
4. Read the full Local startup error before assuming corruption. Back up valuable local data before any recovery that replaces files.

mkdir -p ./data
java -Djava.library.path=./DynamoDBLocal_lib \
  -jar DynamoDBLocal.jar -sharedDb -dbPath ./data

Run this from the extracted DynamoDB Local directory with Java 17 or newer. For disposable tests, -inMemory -sharedDb avoids disk persistence, but data disappears when the process exits. Do not combine -inMemory with -dbPath.

See persistent local setup and AWS documentation.