Connection Management

SoftDB stores all your database connections locally, encrypted with AES-256-GCM. You can connect to as many databases as you want and switch between them using tabs — each connection gets its own query editor, schema tree, and AI chat history.

Creating a Connection

1. Open the Connection Hub — this is the home screen when you launch SoftDB. Click New Connection (or press Ctrl+N / Cmd+N).

2. Choose a database type — select from PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, MongoDB, Redshift, or Redis. The form fields update automatically for the selected type.

3. Fill in the connection details — host, port, credentials, and database name. For SQLite, use the file picker to browse to your .db file. For MongoDB, you can switch to URI mode for Atlas connections.

4. Test the connection — click Test Connection before saving. SoftDB opens a temporary connection, pings the server, and closes it. You’ll see a green checkmark on success or an error message with the exact failure reason.

5. Save — once the test passes, click Save. The connection appears in your hub and is ready to open.

Connection Form Fields

Field	Description
Connection Name	A label for this connection. Auto-generated from type/host/port, but you can override it.
Database Type	PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, MongoDB, Redshift, or Redis.
Host	Hostname or IP address of the database server. Defaults to localhost.
Port	TCP port. Pre-filled with the default for the selected type.
Database	The specific database to connect to. Optional for PostgreSQL and MySQL (enables multi-DB browsing when left blank).
Username	Login username for the database server.
Password	Login password. Stored encrypted with AES-256-GCM.
SSL Mode	TLS/SSL mode for the connection. Options vary by database type.
Safe Mode	When enabled, blocks DROP, DELETE, and TRUNCATE statements. Useful for production connections.

SQLite-specific fields

Field	Description
File Path	Absolute path to the .db, .sqlite, or .sqlite3 file. Use the Browse button to pick a file.

MongoDB URI mode

For MongoDB Atlas or any connection that requires a full URI (including mongodb+srv://), toggle Use URI in the connection form. This replaces the individual host/port/credentials fields with a single URI input.

mongodb+srv://username:password@cluster.mongodb.net/mydb?retryWrites=true&w=majority

Testing Connections

The Test Connection button creates a temporary driver, connects to the server, sends a ping, and immediately disconnects. It does not save anything. Use it to verify credentials and network access before saving.

If the test fails, the error message comes directly from the database driver — it’ll say things like connection refused, authentication failed, or SSL required. These messages are specific enough to diagnose most problems without guessing.

Connection Status

Each connection in the hub shows one of three statuses:

Status	Meaning
Connected	An active driver is open and the connection is live.
Offline	The connection was explicitly disconnected, or a previous connection attempt failed.
Idle	The connection has been saved but never opened in this session.

SoftDB doesn’t maintain persistent background connections. When you close a connection tab, the driver disconnects. The next time you open that connection, it reconnects fresh.

SSL/TLS Modes

SSL mode options differ by database type:

PostgreSQL / Redshift

Mode	Description
disable	No TLS. Default for local development.
require	Require TLS but don’t verify the certificate.
verify-ca	Require TLS and verify the server certificate against a CA.
verify-full	Require TLS, verify the certificate, and check the hostname.

MySQL / MariaDB

Mode	Description
disable	No TLS.
require	Require TLS, skip certificate verification.
verify-ca	Require TLS and verify the CA.
verify-full	Require TLS, verify CA, and verify hostname.

SSH Tunneling

SoftDB supports SSH tunneling for all database types except SQLite. When enabled, SoftDB opens an SSH connection to a bastion host and forwards a random local port to the database server. The database driver then connects to 127.0.0.1:<local-port> instead of the remote host directly.

See the SSH Tunneling page for full setup instructions.

Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a per-connection toggle that blocks destructive SQL statements before they reach the database. When enabled, any query containing DROP, DELETE, or TRUNCATE is rejected with an error — the statement never executes.

This is useful for production connections where you want a safety net against accidental data loss. You can still run these statements by temporarily disabling Safe Mode in the connection settings.

Managing Connections

Edit — click the pencil icon on any connection card to reopen the connection form with the existing values pre-filled. You can change any field, including the password. The connection is re-tested before saving.

Delete — click the trash icon to remove a connection. If the connection is currently active, SoftDB disconnects it first. Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.

Workspace Export and Import

You can export all your saved connections to a JSON file and import them on another machine. Passwords are included in the export (still encrypted), so treat the export file as sensitive.

To export: open Settings and click Export Workspace. To import: click Import Workspace and select the JSON file. Imported connections are merged with existing ones — duplicates (matched by ID) are skipped.