Managing Connections

Sigilweaver supports connecting to external databases for querying data directly in your workflows. Database credentials are handled securely through the Connection Manager.

Accessing the Connection Manager

Open Settings from the header bar and navigate to the Connections tab. Here you can view, create, edit, and delete database connections.

Connection Types

Client Connections

Client connections store credentials locally on your machine using Electron's secure storage (safeStorage API). These connections are:

• Private to you - Only accessible on the machine where they were created
• Encrypted at rest - Protected by your operating system's credential storage
• Ideal for - Personal databases, development environments, individual work

Hub Connections

Hub connections are managed by your organization's administrators through Sigilweaver Hub. The credentials are stored on the Hub server using Fernet encryption. These connections are:

• Managed centrally - Administrators create and maintain connections
• Shared through groups - Available to users who are members of assigned groups
• Opaque to users - You can use the connection but cannot see the username/password
• Ideal for - Team databases, production systems, controlled access environments

Hub Connections

Hub connections appear in your connection list when you're connected to a Hub server and are a member of groups with assigned connections. You can use them in workflows but cannot edit or view their credentials.

See the Administrator Guide for details on how Hub connections are managed.

Creating a Client Connection

1. Click Add Connection in the Connection Manager
2. Fill in the connection details:
   • Name: A descriptive name for the connection
   • Type: Database type (currently PostgreSQL)
   • Host: Database server hostname or IP
   • Port: Database port (default: 5432 for PostgreSQL)
   • Database: Name of the database to connect to
   • Username: Database user
   • Password: Database password
3. Click Test Connection to verify connectivity
4. Click Save to store the connection

Editing a Client Connection

1. Find the connection in the list
2. Click the edit (pencil) icon
3. Update the fields as needed
4. Leave username/password blank to keep existing credentials
5. Click Save

Hub Connections

You cannot edit Hub connections - they are managed by your administrator. Contact your admin if credentials need to be updated.

Deleting a Client Connection

1. Find the connection in the list
2. Click the delete (trash) icon
3. Confirm deletion

warning

Deleting a connection may break workflows that use it. Check your workflows before removing connections.

Hub connections cannot be deleted by users - contact your administrator.

Using Connections in Workflows

1. Add an Input tool to your workflow
2. Select Database as the data source category
3. Choose PostgreSQL as the database type
4. Select your connection from the dropdown
5. Enter your SQL query
6. The query results are available as output

Security Model

Sigilweaver is designed to protect your database credentials:

What's Protected

• Credentials never appear in workflow files - Only connection IDs are saved
• Python code exports omit credentials - Generated code uses placeholder comments
• JSON previews strip sensitive data - Workflow JSON shows IDs, not passwords
• Hub credentials stay on Hub - Users cannot extract Hub-managed passwords

How It Works

Connection Type	Storage	Who Can Access	Sent to Server
Client	Electron safeStorage (OS keychain)	Only you, on this machine	Yes - when executing workflows
Hub	Fernet-encrypted on Hub server	Hub administrators only	No - Hub resolves internally

Client Credentials Are Transmitted

Client connections store credentials on your local machine, but they are sent to the Server when you execute a workflow that queries a database. The Server needs the credentials to connect to your database and run the query.

This means:

• Your credentials are transmitted over the network (use HTTPS/localhost)
• The Server temporarily has access to your credentials during execution
• For production or sensitive databases, use Hub connections instead

Hub connections are different - the credentials are stored on the Hub server and resolved internally. They are never transmitted to your machine and you cannot see the actual username/password. This is the recommended approach for team databases.

See Hub Security Model for details on how Hub protects credentials.

Workflow Portability

When you share a workflow that uses database connections:

• Same machine: Client connections work automatically (your credentials are available)
• Different machine: User must have matching connection IDs configured
• Hub connections: Work automatically for anyone with access to the same Hub and group membership

Best Practice

For team workflows, use Hub connections so all team members can run the workflow without configuring individual credentials.

For production databases, always use Hub connections - this keeps credentials centrally managed and avoids transmitting them from client machines. Client connections are best for local development databases or personal data sources.

Troubleshooting

"Connection not found"

The workflow references a connection ID that doesn't exist on your machine or server. Create a new connection with the same settings, or ask your administrator to set up a server connection.

"Encryption not available"

Client connections require the desktop application with Electron. If running in a browser or without safeStorage support, you can only use server connections.

"Failed to connect"

Check:

• Is the database server running?
• Are the host and port correct?
• Is the database name spelled correctly?
• Does the user have permission to connect?
• Are there firewall rules blocking the connection?

"Hub connections unavailable"

You may not be connected to a Hub server, or you may not be in any groups with connections assigned.

Solutions:

• Connect to Hub from Studio settings
• Ask your administrator to add you to groups with connections
• See Groups for how group membership works