Connections
Create, edit, and manage PostgreSQL connections in tpaw, including SSH tunnels and environment tags.
A tpaw connection stores everything needed to reach a PostgreSQL server — host, port, credentials, SSL settings, and optionally an SSH tunnel configuration. Credentials are stored in the macOS Keychain, not in plain text.
Connection fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Label shown on the home screen card |
| Host | Yes | Hostname or IP of the PostgreSQL server |
| Port | Yes | PostgreSQL port, default 5432 |
| Username | Yes | PostgreSQL role name |
| Password | No | Stored in macOS Keychain |
| Database | No | Specific database to connect to; omit for default |
| SSL Mode | Yes | Disable / Prefer / Require |
| Environment Tag | No | prod / staging / dev / local — shown as colored dot |
| Read-only | No | Prevents mutation queries in this connection |
| SSH Tunnel | No | Route connection through an SSH bastion host |
Creating a connection
From the home screen: Click New Connection or press Cmd+N.
From a PostgreSQL URL: Paste a postgres:// URL into the URL field at the top of the connection form. All fields are auto-filled.
Testing a connection
Click Test before saving to verify the server is reachable and credentials are correct. The test result shows:
- Green banner with latency — success
- Red banner with PostgreSQL error code — failure
Editing a connection
Right-click a connection card on the home screen → Edit Connection. Make changes and click Save.
Copying as URL
Right-click a connection card → Copy as URL to copy the full postgres:// connection string to the clipboard (includes password).
Deleting a connection
Right-click a connection card → Delete. This removes the connection config and removes the Keychain entry.
What's in this section
- SSH Tunnel — Connect to databases behind a bastion host
- Environment Tags — Color-code connections by environment