# pgcli: An Enhanced PostgreSQL Command-Line Interface This repository profile is provided by osrepos.com, an open source repository discovery platform. Source: osrepos.com Repository profile: https://osrepos.com/repo/dbcli-pgcli Generated for open source discovery and AI-assisted research. pgcli is a powerful command-line interface for PostgreSQL, designed to enhance productivity. It offers intelligent autocompletion and vibrant syntax highlighting, making database interactions more intuitive. This Python-based tool provides a superior alternative to the standard `psql` client for developers and DBAs. GitHub: https://github.com/dbcli/pgcli OSRepos URL: https://osrepos.com/repo/dbcli-pgcli ## Summary pgcli is a powerful command-line interface for PostgreSQL, designed to enhance productivity. It offers intelligent autocompletion and vibrant syntax highlighting, making database interactions more intuitive. This Python-based tool provides a superior alternative to the standard `psql` client for developers and DBAs. ## Topics - database - postgres - postgresql - psql - python - CLI Tool - Developer Tools ## Repository Information Last analyzed by OSRepos: Fri Mar 20 2026 01:11:32 GMT+0000 (Western European Standard Time) Detail views: 3 GitHub clicks: 3 ## Safety Notice OSRepos shares public repositories for knowledge and discovery only. Review source code, dependencies, licenses, and security implications before running or installing anything. ## Content ## Introduction pgcli is an open-source command-line interface (CLI) for PostgreSQL databases, developed by dbcli. It stands out by providing a rich interactive experience with features like intelligent autocompletion and syntax highlighting. This Python-based tool aims to make working with PostgreSQL from the terminal more efficient and enjoyable for developers and database administrators. ## Installation Installing pgcli is straightforward across various platforms. Here are some common methods: * **Using pip (Python package manager):** bash $ pip install -U pgcli * **On Debian-based Linux (e.g., Ubuntu, Mint):** bash $ sudo apt-get install pgcli * **On macOS (using Homebrew):** bash $ brew install pgcli * **Using pipx (for isolated environments):** bash $ pipx install pgcli * **Using uvx (install on the fly):** bash $ uvx pgcli * **Via Docker:** bash $ docker build -t pgcli . $ docker run --rm -ti --net host pgcli pgcli -h localhost foo For more detailed instructions, including setting up Python environments, please refer to the [official installation guide](https://github.com/dbcli/pgcli#detailed-installation-instructions). ## Examples Connecting to your PostgreSQL database with pgcli is simple. You can specify the database name directly or use a full connection string: * **Connect to a local database:** bash $ pgcli local_database * **Connect using a comprehensive connection string:** bash $ pgcli postgres://amjith:pa$$w0rd@example.com:5432/app_db?sslmode=verify-ca&sslrootcert=/myrootcert pgcli also supports many environment variables similar to `psql` (e.g., `PGHOST`, `PGPORT`, `PGUSER`, `PGPASSWORD`, `PGDATABASE`) and SSL-related environment variables for secure connections. To explore all available options, use the `--help` command: bash $ pgcli --help Usage: pgcli [OPTIONS] [DBNAME] [USERNAME] Options: -h, --host TEXT Host address of the postgres database. -p, --port INTEGER Port number at which the postgres instance is listening. -U, --username TEXT Username to connect to the postgres database. -u, --user TEXT Username to connect to the postgres database. -W, --password Force password prompt. -w, --no-password Never prompt for password. --single-connection Do not use a separate connection for completions. -v, --version Version of pgcli. -d, --dbname TEXT database name to connect to. --pgclirc FILE Location of pgclirc file. -D, --dsn TEXT Use DSN configured into the [alias_dsn] section of pgclirc file. --list-dsn list of DSN configured into the [alias_dsn] section of pgclirc file. --row-limit INTEGER Set threshold for row limit prompt. Use 0 to disable prompt. --less-chatty Skip intro on startup and goodbye on exit. --prompt TEXT Prompt format (Default: "\u@\h:\d> "). --prompt-dsn TEXT Prompt format for connections using DSN aliases (Default: "\u@\h:\d> "). -l, --list list available databases, then exit. --auto-vertical-output Automatically switch to vertical output mode if the result is wider than the terminal width. --warn [all|moderate|off] Warn before running a destructive query. --help Show this message and exit. ## Why Use pgcli? pgcli offers several compelling features that make it a superior choice for interacting with PostgreSQL databases from the command line: * **Intelligent Autocompletion:** It auto-completes SQL keywords, table names, and column names as you type, significantly speeding up query writing. * **Context-Sensitive Smart-Completion:** For example, `SELECT * FROM ` will only suggest table names, while `SELECT * FROM users WHERE ` will suggest column names from the `users` table. * **Syntax Highlighting:** Queries are beautifully highlighted using Pygments, improving readability and helping to spot errors. * **Pretty Printing:** Tabular data results are formatted cleanly, making it easier to read and analyze query outputs. * **psql Back-Slash Commands:** Supports primitive `psql` back-slash commands for familiar operations. * **IPython Integration:** Can be run within an IPython console, allowing you to iterate on queries and retrieve results directly into your IPython workspace. ## Links * **GitHub Repository:** [https://github.com/dbcli/pgcli](https://github.com/dbcli/pgcli){:target="_blank"} * **Official Homepage:** [http://pgcli.com](http://pgcli.com){:target="_blank"} * **MySQL Equivalent (mycli):** [http://mycli.net](http://mycli.net){:target="_blank"} * **Detailed Installation Instructions:** [https://github.com/dbcli/pgcli#detailed-installation-instructions](https://github.com/dbcli/pgcli#detailed-installation-instructions){:target="_blank"}