Exploring PostgreSQL Securely with Pgcli and Dynamic Data Masking

The query runs. The data looks clean. But the truth is hidden.

Pgcli makes PostgreSQL fast to explore and pleasant to use. Dynamic Data Masking makes sensitive data safe in real time. Combine them, and you get a workflow that protects secrets while keeping development fluid.

Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) in PostgreSQL replaces original values with masked values at query time. This means email addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, or IDs are transformed when queried, without changing the stored data. You can configure masks based on columns, roles, or query contexts. The masked data stays usable for development and analysis, but cannot reveal actual personal or confidential information.

Pgcli supports powerful autocompletion, syntax highlighting, and table inspection. When connected to a PostgreSQL database with DDM enabled, Pgcli will show masked results in output sets while still letting you inspect schema and run parameterized queries. This integration ensures developers see only what they should. It is immediate, consistent, and secure.

Implementing Dynamic Data Masking in PostgreSQL typically starts with creating policies using column-level privileges or views with masking functions. For example:

CREATE VIEW users_masked AS
SELECT
 id,
 LEFT(email, 3) || '***@***.com' AS email,
 'XXX-XXX-' || RIGHT(phone, 4) AS phone
FROM users;

With this view, Pgcli queries return masked values instantly. Real data is never exposed to unauthorized roles. You can set multiple mask types across datasets, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations and internal policy.

Pgcli’s speed and clarity make it ideal for checking masking rules in action. Use \d to inspect structures, run select statements to confirm output, and switch between masked and unmasked datasets by changing roles or connecting to different schemas. No downtime. No code changes to client apps.

The security benefit is tangible: no matter how quickly someone can query with Pgcli, they only see the data they are cleared to see. From dev to staging to testing environments, the database behaves exactly as needed.

If you want to see Pgcli and Dynamic Data Masking working together without weeks of setup, you can use hoop.dev to spin up PostgreSQL with masking rules baked in. Connect with Pgcli and watch masked data flow in minutes. Try it now at hoop.dev.