feat: add option to prompt for database password on every connection

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 
+- Option to prompt for database password on every connection instead of saving to Keychain
 - Autocompletion for filter fields: column names and SQL keywords suggested as you type (Raw SQL and Value fields)
 - Multi-line support for Raw SQL filter field (Option+Enter for newline)
 - Visual Create Table UI with multi-database support (sidebar → "Create New Table...")

TablePro/AppDelegate+ConnectionHandler.swift

@@ -430,24 +430,31 @@ extension AppDelegate {
     // MARK: - Connection Failure
 
     func handleConnectionFailure(_ error: Error) async {
+        closeOrphanedMainWindows()
+
+        // User cancelled password prompt — no error dialog needed
+        if error is CancellationError { return }
+
+        try? await Task.sleep(for: .milliseconds(200))
+        AlertHelper.showErrorSheet(
+            title: String(localized: "Connection Failed"),
+            message: error.localizedDescription,
+            window: NSApp.keyWindow
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Closes main windows that have no active database session, then opens the welcome window if none remain.
+    private func closeOrphanedMainWindows() {
         for window in NSApp.windows where isMainWindow(window) {
             let hasActiveSession = DatabaseManager.shared.activeSessions.values.contains {
                 window.subtitle == $0.connection.name
                     || window.subtitle == "\($0.connection.name) — Preview"
             }
-            if !hasActiveSession {
-                window.close()
-            }
+            if !hasActiveSession { window.close() }
         }
         if !NSApp.windows.contains(where: { isMainWindow($0) && $0.isVisible }) {
             openWelcomeWindow()
         }
-        try? await Task.sleep(for: .milliseconds(200))
-        AlertHelper.showErrorSheet(
-            title: String(localized: "Connection Failed"),
-            message: error.localizedDescription,
-            window: NSApp.keyWindow
-        )
     }
 
     // MARK: - Transient Connection Builder

TablePro/AppDelegate+WindowConfig.swift

@@ -339,6 +339,12 @@ extension AppDelegate {
                     for window in NSApp.windows where self.isWelcomeWindow(window) {
                         window.close()
                     }
+                } catch is CancellationError {
+                    // User cancelled password prompt at startup — return to welcome
+                    for window in NSApp.windows where self.isMainWindow(window) {
+                        window.close()
+                    }
+                    self.openWelcomeWindow()
                 } catch {
                     windowLogger.error("Auto-reconnect failed for '\(connection.name)': \(error.localizedDescription)")
 

TablePro/Core/Database/DatabaseDriver.swift

@@ -317,7 +317,10 @@ extension DatabaseDriver {
 enum DatabaseDriverFactory {
     private static let logger = Logger(subsystem: "com.TablePro", category: "DatabaseDriverFactory")
 
-    static func createDriver(for connection: DatabaseConnection) throws -> DatabaseDriver {
+    static func createDriver(
+        for connection: DatabaseConnection,
+        passwordOverride: String? = nil
+    ) throws -> DatabaseDriver {
         let pluginId = connection.type.pluginTypeId
         // If the plugin isn't registered yet and background loading hasn't finished,
         // fall back to synchronous loading for this critical code path.
@@ -338,15 +341,19 @@ enum DatabaseDriverFactory {
             host: connection.host,
             port: connection.port,
             username: connection.username,
-            password: resolvePassword(for: connection),
+            password: resolvePassword(for: connection, override: passwordOverride),
             database: connection.database,
             additionalFields: buildAdditionalFields(for: connection, plugin: plugin)
         )
         let pluginDriver = plugin.createDriver(config: config)
         return PluginDriverAdapter(connection: connection, pluginDriver: pluginDriver)
     }
 
-    private static func resolvePassword(for connection: DatabaseConnection) -> String {
+    private static func resolvePassword(
+        for connection: DatabaseConnection,
+        override: String? = nil
+    ) -> String {
+        if let override { return override }
         if connection.usePgpass {
             let pgpassHost = connection.additionalFields["pgpassOriginalHost"] ?? connection.host
             let pgpassPort = connection.additionalFields["pgpassOriginalPort"]

TablePro/Core/Database/DatabaseManager.swift

@@ -133,10 +133,32 @@ final class DatabaseManager {
             }
         }
 
+        // Resolve password override for prompt-for-password connections
+        var passwordOverride: String?
+        if connection.promptForPassword {
+            if let cached = activeSessions[connection.id]?.cachedPassword {
+                passwordOverride = cached
+            } else {
+                let isApiOnly = PluginManager.shared.connectionMode(for: connection.type) == .apiOnly
+                guard let prompted = PasswordPromptHelper.prompt(
+                    connectionName: connection.name,
+                    isAPIToken: isApiOnly
+                ) else {
+                    removeSessionEntry(for: connection.id)
+                    currentSessionId = nil
+                    throw CancellationError()
+                }
+                passwordOverride = prompted
+            }
+        }
+
         // Create appropriate driver with effective connection
         let driver: DatabaseDriver
         do {
-            driver = try DatabaseDriverFactory.createDriver(for: effectiveConnection)
+            driver = try DatabaseDriverFactory.createDriver(
+                for: effectiveConnection,
+                passwordOverride: passwordOverride
+            )
         } catch {
             // Close tunnel if SSH was established
             if connection.sshConfig.enabled {
@@ -217,7 +239,9 @@ final class DatabaseManager {
                 session.driver = driver
                 session.status = driver.status
                 session.effectiveConnection = effectiveConnection
-
+                if let passwordOverride {
+                    session.cachedPassword = passwordOverride
+                }
                 setSession(session, for: connection.id)
             }
 
@@ -418,9 +442,11 @@ final class DatabaseManager {
     }
 
     /// Test a connection without keeping it open
-    func testConnection(_ connection: DatabaseConnection, sshPassword: String? = nil) async throws
-        -> Bool
-    {
+    func testConnection(
+        _ connection: DatabaseConnection,
+        sshPassword: String? = nil,
+        passwordOverride: String? = nil
+    ) async throws -> Bool {
         // Build effective connection (creates SSH tunnel if needed)
         let testConnection = try await buildEffectiveConnection(
             for: connection,
@@ -429,7 +455,10 @@ final class DatabaseManager {
 
         let result: Bool
         do {
-            let driver = try DatabaseDriverFactory.createDriver(for: testConnection)
+            let driver = try DatabaseDriverFactory.createDriver(
+                for: testConnection,
+                passwordOverride: passwordOverride
+            )
             result = try await driver.testConnection()
         } catch {
             if connection.sshConfig.enabled {
@@ -643,7 +672,10 @@ final class DatabaseManager {
 
         // Use effective connection (tunneled) if available, otherwise original
         let connectionForDriver = session.effectiveConnection ?? session.connection
-        let driver = try DatabaseDriverFactory.createDriver(for: connectionForDriver)
+        let driver = try DatabaseDriverFactory.createDriver(
+            for: connectionForDriver,
+            passwordOverride: session.cachedPassword
+        )
         try await driver.connect()
 
         // Apply timeout
@@ -712,8 +744,25 @@ final class DatabaseManager {
             // Recreate SSH tunnel if needed and build effective connection
             let effectiveConnection = try await buildEffectiveConnection(for: session.connection)
 
+            // Resolve password for prompt-for-password connections
+            var passwordOverride = activeSessions[sessionId]?.cachedPassword
+            if session.connection.promptForPassword && passwordOverride == nil {
+                let isApiOnly = PluginManager.shared.connectionMode(for: session.connection.type) == .apiOnly
+                guard let prompted = PasswordPromptHelper.prompt(
+                    connectionName: session.connection.name,
+                    isAPIToken: isApiOnly
+                ) else {
+                    updateSession(sessionId) { $0.status = .disconnected }
+                    return
+                }
+                passwordOverride = prompted
+            }
+
             // Create new driver and connect
-            let driver = try DatabaseDriverFactory.createDriver(for: effectiveConnection)
+            let driver = try DatabaseDriverFactory.createDriver(
+                for: effectiveConnection,
+                passwordOverride: passwordOverride
+            )
             try await driver.connect()
 
             // Apply timeout
@@ -750,6 +799,9 @@ final class DatabaseManager {
                 session.driver = driver
                 session.status = .connected
                 session.effectiveConnection = effectiveConnection
+                if let passwordOverride {
+                    session.cachedPassword = passwordOverride
+                }
             }
 
             // Restart health monitoring if the plugin supports it

TablePro/Core/Storage/ConnectionStorage.swift

@@ -163,8 +163,8 @@ final class ConnectionStorage {
         saveConnections(connections)
         SyncChangeTracker.shared.markDirty(.connection, id: duplicate.id.uuidString)
 
-        // Copy all passwords from source to duplicate
-        if let password = loadPassword(for: connection.id) {
+        // Copy all passwords from source to duplicate (skip DB password in prompt mode)
+        if !connection.promptForPassword, let password = loadPassword(for: connection.id) {
             savePassword(password, for: newId)
         }
         if let sshPassword = loadSSHPassword(for: connection.id) {

TablePro/Core/Utilities/UI/PasswordPromptHelper.swift

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+//
+//  PasswordPromptHelper.swift
+//  TablePro
+//
+//  Prompts the user for a database password via a native modal alert.
+//
+
+import AppKit
+
+enum PasswordPromptHelper {
+    /// Presents a modal alert with a secure text field to collect a password or API token.
+    /// Returns the entered value (may be empty for passwordless databases), or `nil` if the user cancels.
+    @MainActor
+    static func prompt(connectionName: String, isAPIToken: Bool = false) -> String? {
+        let alert = NSAlert()
+        alert.messageText = isAPIToken
+            ? String(localized: "API Token Required")
+            : String(localized: "Password Required")
+        alert.informativeText = String(
+            format: String(localized: "Enter the %@ for \"%@\""),
+            isAPIToken ? String(localized: "API token") : String(localized: "password"),
+            connectionName
+        )
+        alert.addButton(withTitle: String(localized: "Connect"))
+        alert.addButton(withTitle: String(localized: "Cancel"))
+
+        let input = NSSecureTextField(frame: NSRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 260, height: 24))
+        input.placeholderString = isAPIToken
+            ? String(localized: "API Token") : String(localized: "Password")
+        alert.accessoryView = input
+        alert.window.initialFirstResponder = input
+
+        guard alert.runModal() == .alertFirstButtonReturn else { return nil }
+        return input.stringValue
+    }
+}

TablePro/Models/Connection/ConnectionSession.swift

@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ struct ConnectionSession: Identifiable {
     var currentSchema: String?
     var currentDatabase: String?
 
+    /// In-memory password for prompt-for-password connections. Never persisted to disk.
+    var cachedPassword: String?
+
     var activeDatabase: String {
         currentDatabase ?? connection.database
     }
@@ -58,6 +61,7 @@ struct ConnectionSession: Identifiable {
     /// Clear cached data that can be re-fetched on reconnect.
     /// Called when the connection enters a disconnected or error state
     /// to release memory held by stale table metadata.
+    /// Note: `cachedPassword` is intentionally NOT cleared — auto-reconnect needs it after disconnect.
     mutating func clearCachedData() {
         tables = []
         selectedTables = []

TablePro/Models/Connection/DatabaseConnection.swift

@@ -429,6 +429,11 @@ struct DatabaseConnection: Identifiable, Hashable {
         set { additionalFields["usePgpass"] = newValue ? "true" : "" }
     }
 
+    var promptForPassword: Bool {
+        get { additionalFields["promptForPassword"] == "true" }
+        set { additionalFields["promptForPassword"] = newValue ? "true" : "" }
+    }
+
     var preConnectScript: String? {
         get { additionalFields["preConnectScript"]?.nilIfEmpty }
         set { additionalFields["preConnectScript"] = newValue ?? "" }

TablePro/ViewModels/WelcomeViewModel.swift

@@ -215,6 +215,10 @@ final class WelcomeViewModel {
         Task {
             do {
                 try await dbManager.connectToSession(connection)
+            } catch is CancellationError {
+                // User cancelled password prompt — return to welcome
+                NSApplication.shared.closeWindows(withId: "main")
+                self.openWindow?(id: "welcome")
             } catch {
                 if case PluginError.pluginNotInstalled = error {
                     Self.logger.info("Plugin not installed for \(connection.type.rawValue), prompting install")
@@ -237,6 +241,9 @@ final class WelcomeViewModel {
         Task {
             do {
                 try await dbManager.connectToSession(connection)
+            } catch is CancellationError {
+                NSApplication.shared.closeWindows(withId: "main")
+                self.openWindow?(id: "welcome")
             } catch {
                 Self.logger.error(
                     "Failed to connect after plugin install: \(error.localizedDescription, privacy: .public)")