Getting Started
Connecting to a Database

Connecting to a Database

Zentro supports all major relational databases. Connections are configured per environment inside a project.

Supported Databases

DatabaseVersionsNotes
PostgreSQL12+Full feature support
MySQL5.7+Full feature support
MariaDB10.4+Compatible with MySQL driver
Microsoft SQL Server2017+Windows Auth supported
SQLite3.xFile-based; use local path as host

Connection Fields

FieldRequiredDefault
HostYeslocalhost
PortYesDepends on database
Database nameYes
UsernameYes
PasswordNoStored in OS keychain
SSL modeNoprefer
Connection nameNoAuto-generated

Default Ports

Default port: 5432

Common connection string:

postgresql://username:password@localhost:5432/mydb

Credential Storage

Passwords are never stored in plain text. Zentro uses the operating system's native keychain:

  • Windows: Windows Credential Manager
  • macOS: Keychain Access (coming soon)
  • Linux: Secret Service API (coming soon)

If you reset or reinstall Zentro, your connections will need to be re-authenticated since credentials live in the OS keychain, not in Zentro's config files.

Testing a Connection

After filling in the connection details, click Test Connection before saving. Zentro will attempt to open a real connection and report success or the specific error (e.g. authentication failure, unreachable host, SSL mismatch).

Troubleshooting

Connection timed out : Check that the host is reachable and the port is not blocked by a firewall.

Authentication failed : Verify the username and password. For PostgreSQL, ensure the user has CONNECT privilege on the database.

SSL certificate error : Change the SSL mode to disable for local development, or provide the CA certificate path for production connections.

SQL Server login failed : Ensure SQL Server is configured to allow SQL Server Authentication (not Windows-only).