Postico

User Guide

Getting Started

• Get started with Postgres.app
• Connecting to a local PostgreSQL server

Using Postico

• Working with Favorites
• Using Connection URLs
• Importing and Exporting data
• Using the table DDL view
• Autosaving Queries
• Keyboard Shortcuts

Troubleshooting

• Common Connection Problems
• Reporting Bugs

More Information

• Changelist
• Security Features
• Automatic Update Checking
• Automatic Crash Reporting
• Acknowledgements
• License Terms

Connecting to a local PostgreSQL server

Postgres.app

To connect to Postgres.app, you can leave all fields blank.

• Host: localhost
• Port: 5432
• User: your user name
• Password: blank
• Database: your user name

See also: Installing Postgres.app

EnterpriseDB

To connect to a PostgreSQL server installed with the graphical installer from EnterpriseDB, click the “New Favorite” button and provide the following parameters:

• Host: localhost
• Port: 5432 (can be changed during installation)
• User: postgres
• Password: selected during installation
• Database: postgres

MacPorts

To connect to a PostgreSQL server installed with MacPorts, use the following parameters:

• Host: localhost
• Port: 5432
• User: postgres
• Password: blank
• Database: postgres

Firewalls & Internet Filters

Some protection products interfere with TCP connections. For example, a product named X3 Protect has been known to block connection attempts to local PostgreSQL servers. If you are having trouble connecting to a local PostgreSQL server, try disabling your firewall, or add an exception for port 5432.

“Resolving localhost failed”

This error message usually appears when there is a problem with the /etc/hosts file. Make sure there is an entry for localhost. As a workaround, you can also type “127.0.0.1” into the host field instead of “localhost”.

TCP vs. Socket connections

There are two ways to connect to a local PostgreSQL server:

• Using a TCP connection (localhost, 127.0.0.1, ::1)
• Using a Unix socket connection (/tmp/.s.PGSQL)

Postico always uses TCP connections. Postico can't use socket connections because sandboxed apps are not allowed to access unix sockets outside their sandbox.

By default, PostgreSQL is always configured to listen for TCP connections on localhost, so that should not be a problem unless you explicitly disabled TCP connections.