pgcli
CLI for Postgres Database. With auto-completion and syntax highlighting.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. pgcli is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, installs with low friction, and is licensed permissively. It is a straightforward productivity tool for PostgreSQL users who want a more modern interactive shell than psql. Install it if you regularly work with PostgreSQL from the command line and value auto-completion and syntax highlighting.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires a PostgreSQL server to connect to; psycopg (the database driver) must be able to reach a running PostgreSQL instance.
- Low install friction with a pure Python wheel distribution.
- Actively maintained with a release within the last 72 days.
License · maintenance · safety
BSD (permissive) — BSD license is permissive, allowing free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions—suitable for both open-source and commercial projects.
last release 2026-06-03 (72 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 647,300 downloads/mo, #5,593 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
$ pip install pgcli
$ pgcli local_database
or
$ pgcli postgresql://user:password@host:5432/dbname- Whether smart-completion (context-sensitive suggestions based on SQL keywords) works reliably across all query patterns
- Performance characteristics when connecting to databases with very large schemas (thousands of tables/columns)
- Extent of psql back-slash command support and which commands are fully implemented
What it is and what it does
pgcli is a PostgreSQL client that replaces the standard psql command-line tool with an interactive shell featuring auto-completion and syntax highlighting. It uses prompt_toolkit to provide a modern terminal interface that suggests SQL keywords, table names, and column names as you type, and highlights syntax using Pygments. The tool supports both direct database names and full PostgreSQL connection URIs, environment variables for authentication (PGHOST, PGPORT, PGUSER, PGPASSWORD, PGDATABASE), and SSL connection options.
You run it from the command line to open an interactive session with a PostgreSQL database. It displays query results in formatted tables and supports configuration through a config file at ~/.config/pgcli/config. The package is built on established dependencies: psycopg for database connectivity, click for command-line argument parsing, sqlparse for SQL parsing, and cli_helpers for output formatting.
Use it for
- Interactive database exploration and ad-hoc querying with real-time auto-completion of table and column names
- Development workflows where syntax highlighting and smart suggestions reduce typing and errors
- Remote PostgreSQL administration via SSH tunnels or direct connections with SSL support
- Learning SQL with guided completion that shows available tables and columns in context
- Scripting and automation via command-line invocation with DSN aliases from config files
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
pgcli is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, installs with low friction, and is licensed permissively. It is a straightforward productivity tool for PostgreSQL users who want a more modern interactive shell than psql. Install it if you regularly work with PostgreSQL from the command line and value auto-completion and syntax highlighting.
Install
pgcli on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure Python wheel distribution. Actively maintained with a release within the last 72 days. Requires Python 3.10 or later and depends on 11 runtime packages including psycopg for database connectivity and prompt_toolkit for the interactive interface.
Requires a PostgreSQL server to connect to; psycopg (the database driver) must be able to reach a running PostgreSQL instance.
License in practice
BSD license is permissive, allowing free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions—suitable for both open-source and commercial projects.
Quickstart
$ pip install pgcli
$ pgcli local_database
or
$ pgcli postgresql://user:password@host:5432/dbnameVerify before relying
- Whether smart-completion (context-sensitive suggestions based on SQL keywords) works reliably across all query patterns
- Performance characteristics when connecting to databases with very large schemas (thousands of tables/columns)
- Extent of psql back-slash command support and which commands are fully implemented
Package facts
| License | BSD permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 11 packagespgspecialclickPygmentsprompt_toolkitpsycopgpsycopg-binarysqlparseconfigobjcli_helperssetproctitletzlocal |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 72 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 647,300 / month, #5,593 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Intended Audience :: DevelopersOperating System :: UnixProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: SQLTopic :: DatabaseTopic :: Database :: Front-EndsTopic :: Software DevelopmentTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules |
Evidence: pgcli-4.5.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also litecli · pgspecial · mycli · pgsanity · postgres-mcp · pulumi-postgresql · postgres · pgdb · adbc-driver-postgresql · pg8000