> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ngquct-feat-ai-sql-walkthroughs.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# PostgreSQL

> Connect to PostgreSQL 12 and later with the libpq driver, including PostGIS display, AWS IAM auth, and pg_dump backups

# PostgreSQL Connections

TablePro supports PostgreSQL 12 and later via the libpq C connector. The same driver powers [Amazon Redshift](/databases/redshift) and [CockroachDB](/databases/cockroachdb) connections.

## Connection Settings

| Field        | Default     | Notes                                       |
| ------------ | ----------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| **Host**     | `localhost` |                                             |
| **Port**     | `5432`      |                                             |
| **Username** | -           | Not pre-filled; most servers use `postgres` |
| **Database** | -           | **Required** (unlike MySQL)                 |

Fill in the form and click **Save & Connect**. Open URLs like `postgresql://user:pass@host/db` to connect directly, see [Connection URL Reference](/databases/connection-urls). For remote servers use [SSH tunneling](/databases/ssh-tunneling); Google Cloud SQL instances can connect through the [Cloud SQL Auth Proxy](/databases/cloud-sql-proxy).

<Frame caption="PostgreSQL connection form">
  <img className="block dark:hidden" src="https://mintcdn.com/ngquct-feat-ai-sql-walkthroughs/Bj1EoTflf_jG6N_3/images/postgresql-connection-form.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Bj1EoTflf_jG6N_3&q=85&s=b3de45775e9822584618d2e797d5f084" alt="PostgreSQL connection form" width="1440" height="1224" data-path="images/postgresql-connection-form.png" />

  <img className="hidden dark:block" src="https://mintcdn.com/ngquct-feat-ai-sql-walkthroughs/Bj1EoTflf_jG6N_3/images/postgresql-connection-form-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Bj1EoTflf_jG6N_3&q=85&s=ae6d5465c7b0623df34dacd0ae879b61" alt="PostgreSQL connection form" width="1440" height="1224" data-path="images/postgresql-connection-form-dark.png" />
</Frame>

## AWS IAM Authentication

Connect to RDS or Aurora with your AWS identity instead of a static password: set **Authentication** to an AWS IAM option and set **Username** to a database role granted `rds_iam`. See [AWS IAM Authentication](/databases/aws-iam) for setup, credential sources, and troubleshooting.

## Features

**Schemas**: The sidebar shows all accessible schemas and tables. Switch databases and schemas with Cmd+K. Table info shows columns, indexes, constraints, and DDL.

**Types**: `jsonb` renders as formatted JSON. `array`, `uuid`, `inet`, `timestamp with time zone`, `interval`, and `bytea` display natively.

**PostGIS**: `geometry` and `geography` columns render as EWKT with the SRID preserved (`SRID=4326;POINT(-73 40.7237)`) instead of the raw EWKB hex libpq returns. TablePro detects spatial columns from a one-time `pg_type` lookup at connect time and converts fetched values with `ST_AsEWKT(...)`. Your query is never re-run, so parameterized and multi-statement queries render EWKT too. If conversion fails, the raw hex is kept without an error.

**Users & Roles**: Manage database users, roles, and privileges under **View > Users & Roles**: see where each privilege comes from, then grant or revoke it. See [Users & Roles](/features/users-roles).

**Backup & Restore**: **Backup Dump** and **Restore Dump** run `pg_dump` and `pg_restore`. Among TablePro's databases this is available for PostgreSQL and Redshift only. See [Backup & Restore](/features/backup-restore).

## Advanced

**\~/.pgpass**: format `hostname:port:database:username:password`, wildcards (`*`) allowed. libpq silently ignores the file unless its permissions are `0600`.

**Startup Commands** (Advanced tab): SQL that runs on every connect, e.g. `SET timezone = 'UTC'; SET search_path TO myschema, public;`.

**Pre-Connect Script** (Advanced tab): a shell script that runs before connecting, e.g. to refresh credentials from a secrets manager. 10-second timeout.

## Troubleshooting

**Connection refused**: check the server is running, `listen_addresses` in `postgresql.conf` allows remote connections, and the firewall allows port 5432.

**Auth failed**: check `pg_hba.conf` for the auth method (`scram-sha-256` or `md5` for passwords, `trust` for local dev).

**SSL/TLS**: new connections default to **Preferred** (libpq `sslmode=prefer`), which tries TLS first and falls back to plain. Pick **Verify CA** to validate the server certificate. See [SSL/TLS](/features/ssl).

**Postgres-compatible engines**: connect wire-compatible engines using the PostgreSQL type. TablePro probes which system catalogs the server provides, so engines that omit catalogs like `pg_matviews` still load their tables; object kinds the server does not expose just won't appear.