Passwordless authentication in Pgcli

The terminal waits. You type pgcli and connect to Postgres. No password prompt. No shared secrets. No risk of stolen credentials. This is passwordless authentication, live inside your workflow.

Passwordless authentication in Pgcli replaces traditional username-password logins with cryptographic keys or secure tokens. Pgcli can authenticate to PostgreSQL using modern identity-based methods, such as TLS certificates, SSH tunnels, or managed identity providers. This removes the need to store or transmit static passwords, reducing attack surface and friction.

Why use passwordless authentication in Pgcli?

• Security: Keys and tokens expire or can be rotated automatically. Passwords can’t be phished or reused.
• Speed: Connect without pausing to enter or retrieve credentials.
• Automation: Scripts and tools run without embedding secrets in code or config files.

To configure Pgcli for passwordless access, set up your PostgreSQL server with certificate-based auth or an identity provider like Azure AD or AWS IAM for RDS. Update your .pg_service.conf or ~/.pgpass alternative to reference the connection parameters. Pgcli will use them automatically. You can integrate with environment-based credentials so no sensitive data lives on disk.

Key steps to enable passwordless authentication in Pgcli:

1. Generate and install the client certificate or token.
2. Configure pg_hba.conf for cert or gss/sspi methods.
3. Test the connection in Pgcli to verify no password prompt.
4. Set automated rotation for certificates or tokens.

With passwordless authentication, Pgcli becomes faster, safer, and easier to integrate with CI/CD pipelines, containerized deployments, and remote connections. It fits modern security policies without sacrificing developer agility.

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