Documentation

Connecting Your Database

Learn how to connect your PostgreSQL database to Simpl and start browsing your data.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • A PostgreSQL database (version 12 or later recommended)
  • A connection string with appropriate credentials
  • Network access from Simpl to your database

Adding a Connection

Step 1: Navigate to Connections

After signing in, you'll land on the Connections page. Click Add Connection to get started.

Connections page with Add Connection button

Step 2: Enter Your Connection String

Provide your PostgreSQL connection string in the standard format:

postgresql://username:password@hostname:port/database

Connection string input form

Example connection strings:

ProviderFormat
Standardpostgresql://user:pass@localhost:5432/mydb
Supabasepostgresql://postgres:[password]@db.[project].supabase.co:5432/postgres
Neonpostgresql://[user]:[password]@[endpoint].neon.tech/[database]
Railwaypostgresql://postgres:[password]@[host].railway.app:5432/railway

Step 3: Test Your Connection

Click Test Connection to verify Simpl can reach your database. This checks:

  • Network connectivity
  • Authentication credentials
  • Database accessibility

Connection test success message

Step 4: Save and Explore

Once the test passes, click Save Connection. Simpl will automatically:

  1. Introspect your database schema
  2. Discover all tables and their columns
  3. Detect relationships between tables
  4. Generate initial layouts for each table

You'll be redirected to your database browser, ready to explore.

Connection Security

Your connection credentials are protected with industry-standard security:

  • AES-256-GCM encryption for stored credentials
  • Unique initialization vector per connection
  • Encrypted at rest in our database

Learn more in our Security documentation.

Managing Connections

Viewing Connection Details

From the Connections page, each database shows:

  • Database name and host
  • PostgreSQL version
  • Total number of tables
  • Estimated total rows
  • Last connected timestamp

Connection card with details

Removing a Connection

To remove a database connection:

  1. Click the menu icon (three dots) on the connection card
  2. Select Delete Connection
  3. Confirm the deletion

This removes the connection from Simpl but does not affect your actual database.

Troubleshooting

Connection Failed

If your connection test fails, check:

  1. Credentials - Verify username and password are correct
  2. Network - Ensure your database allows external connections
  3. Firewall - Check if Simpl's IP addresses are allowlisted
  4. SSL - Some providers require SSL; add ?sslmode=require to your connection string

Schema Not Loading

If tables aren't appearing after connection:

  1. Verify the user has SELECT privileges on tables
  2. Check that tables exist in the public schema
  3. Try refreshing the schema manually

Slow Connection

For distant database servers:

  • Consider using a connection pooler (like PgBouncer)
  • Check your database's connection limits
  • Ensure adequate network bandwidth

Next Steps

Now that you're connected, learn how to: