PostgreSQL 8.0.0rc2 Documentation
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# 27.12. The Password File

The file `.pgpass` in a user's home directory is a file that can contain passwords to be used if the connection requires a password (and no password has been specified otherwise). This file should have lines of the following format:

    hostname:port:database:username:password

Each of the first four fields may be a literal value, or `*`, which matches anything. The password field from the first line that matches the current connection parameters will be used. (Therefore, put more-specific entries first when you are using wildcards.) If an entry needs to contain `:` or `\`, escape this character with `\`.

The permissions on `.pgpass` must disallow any access to world or group; achieve this by the command `chmod 0600 ~/.pgpass`. If the permissions are less strict than this, the file will be ignored.

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