postgres

name	postgres
description	Connect to Postgres databases and run queries or checks. Use when asked to access a DB or execute SQL.

Postgres

Goal

Use this skill to connect to Postgres and run user-requested queries or checks.

Workflow

1. Confirm connection source:
   • If DB_URL is provided, use it for a one-off connection unless the user asks to persist it.
   • Use postgres.toml when present; otherwise ask the user for the data required to create a profile.
   • If a postgres.toml is already present under the current repo/root at .skills/postgres/postgres.toml, treat that repo/root as the project root and proceed without prompting for DB_PROJECT_ROOT.
   • If not in a git repo, or if running outside the target project, set DB_PROJECT_ROOT/PROJECT_ROOT explicitly.
   • When creating or loading postgres.toml and the target project is a git repo, verify .skills/postgres/postgres.toml is gitignored to avoid committing credentials.
   • If postgres.toml exists, first ensure it is at the latest schema version. Run ./scripts/migrate_toml_schema.sh only when an older schema is found, and run it from the skill dir only if DB_PROJECT_ROOT/PROJECT_ROOT is set.
2. Choose action:
   • Connect/run a query, inspect schema, or run a helper script.
3. Execute and report:
   • Run the requested action and summarize results or errors.
   • If a connection test fails, run ./scripts/check_deps.sh and/or ./scripts/connection_info.sh to diagnose.
4. Persist only if asked:
   • Update TOML only with explicit user approval, except [configuration].pg_bin_path which may be auto-written when missing. schema_version is written by the migration helper. Prompt before changing an existing value.

Config and schema (brief)

• Config file: <project-root>/.skills/postgres/postgres.toml
• Template (canonical schema): assets/postgres.toml.example
• Schema history/migrations: references/postgres_skill_schema.md
• Best practices index: references/postgres_best_practices/README.md
• Scripts are intended to be run from the skill directory; set DB_PROJECT_ROOT/PROJECT_ROOT to the target project root.

Trigger rules (summary)

• If <project-root>/.skills/postgres/postgres.toml exists, do not scan by default; only scan when asked or missing.
• If that TOML is under the current repo/root, use that root for scripts without asking for DB_PROJECT_ROOT.
• If DB_PROFILE is unset and any profiles define project, auto-select the profile matching the current subproject (based on cwd); otherwise ask for DB_PROFILE.
• If postgres.toml is missing, ask for host/port/database/user/password to create a profile (ask for sslmode only if needed).
• If the requested profile is missing, ask for the profile details to add it.
• If the user provides a connection URL, infer missing fields from it.
• Ask whether to save the profile into postgres.toml or use a one-off (temporary) connection.
• For migrations path resolution and schema-change workflow, follow the guardrails reference.

Guardrails (summary)

• Always ask for approval before making any database structure change (DDL like CREATE/ALTER/DROP).
• Keep pending changes in prerelease migration files and maintain a changelog.
• Never touch any file or folder whose name ends with released (case-insensitive) inside the migrations folder.
• After any schema change, run the least expensive query that confirms the change.
• For full rules and migration workflow, read references/postgres_guardrails.md when doing schema changes.

Common requests

• Check connection: DB_PROFILE=local ./scripts/test_connection.sh
• Postgres version: DB_PROFILE=local ./scripts/pg_version.sh
• Connection details: DB_PROFILE=local ./scripts/connection_info.sh
• Find objects by name: DB_PROFILE=local ./scripts/find_objects.sh users

Usage references

• Setup, env defaults, and script catalog: references/postgres_usage.md