Connecting to a database
Everything in Verql starts with a connection profile — a saved set of details (host, port, database, credentials, options) for one database. Once a profile is saved, you can connect to it any time from the sidebar.
Supported databases
Section titled “Supported databases”| Database | How it’s provided |
|---|---|
| PostgreSQL | Native (bundled driver) |
| MySQL | Native (bundled driver) |
| SQLite | Native (bundled driver) |
| MongoDB | Bundled plugin |
| Redis | Bundled plugin |
| Snowflake | Bundled plugin |
Each driver — including PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite — is itself a plugin, so the list of databases Verql can talk to grows as plugins are added. See Managing plugins.
Creating a connection profile
Section titled “Creating a connection profile”- Open the connection form (the new-connection action in the sidebar).
- Choose the database type. The form fields adapt to what that driver needs — for example, SQLite asks for a file path, while PostgreSQL and MySQL ask for a host, port, database name, and credentials.
- Fill in the details and save the profile.
You can keep as many profiles as you like and edit them later.
A few per-database notes
Section titled “A few per-database notes”- SQLite connects to a local file — point it at your
.db/.sqlitefile. - PostgreSQL supports SSL. When SSL is enabled, Verql verifies the server’s certificate by default. The connection form includes an SSL Mode choice: pick Verify (recommended) for secure connections, or Skip verification (insecure) only if you understand the risk (for example, a self-signed cert on a trusted private network).
- MongoDB, Redis, Snowflake each expose the fields their driver needs.
Connecting and disconnecting
Section titled “Connecting and disconnecting”Select a saved profile in the sidebar to connect. Once connected, its schema loads into the browser (see Exploring your schema) and you can open query tabs against it.
Disconnect when you’re done. Verql clears the cached schema for a profile when you disconnect, so reconnecting always reflects the live database rather than a stale snapshot.
SSH tunnels
Section titled “SSH tunnels”If your database is only reachable through a bastion / jump host, Verql can open an SSH tunnel for the connection. The SSH tunnel is a bundled connection middleware — it wraps the connection, opening the tunnel before the database connects and closing it cleanly afterward. Configure the tunnel details (SSH host, port, user, and key or password) as part of the connection profile.
Because it’s middleware rather than core code, the same tunnel option is available to every driver.
How your credentials are stored
Section titled “How your credentials are stored”Verql does not write database passwords or other secrets to disk in plain
text. Secrets are stored encrypted in your operating system’s keychain via
Electron’s safeStorage:
- macOS: the system Keychain
- Windows: the Credential Manager / DPAPI
- Linux: the available secret service (e.g. the GNOME Keyring / KWallet)
Non-secret profile details (host, port, database name, options) are saved in Verql’s configuration file; only the secrets live in the keychain. The encrypted credentials file is also written with owner-only permissions so it isn’t readable by other users on a shared machine.
AI provider API keys are stored the same way — see The AI assistant.
Next: Running queries →