Backends

A backend is a named, configured store. Selection is by name: --backend <name>, then $TELEX_BACKEND, then the configured default, then an implicit default SQLite store at ~/.telex/telex.db. With no setup, telex works on local SQLite.

SQLite (default)

Local, zero-config, single-user. Nothing to configure; the implicit default store is created on first use. Override the path for one invocation with --db <path> or $TELEX_DB.

Postgres (networked)

Configure a Postgres backend once, then select it by name or make it the default. The connection string is a libpq URI or a key=value DSN. Provide the password by reference, never embedded in the config:

• --entra: Azure Entra; telex fetches the token itself (uses az login, or --entra-cred managed on a devbox or VM with a managed identity). Requires a build with the entra feature, which the release binaries include.
• --password-env <VAR>: read the password from an environment variable.
• --password-command <cmd>: run a command that prints the password.

# Postgres with a password from an env var:
telex backend add staging \
  --postgres "postgresql://app@staging-db:5432/telex?sslmode=require" \
  --password-env STAGING_PG_PASSWORD --schema telex

# Azure Postgres with Entra:
telex backend add prod \
  --postgres "host=myserver.postgres.database.azure.com port=5432 user=me@example.com dbname=postgres sslmode=require" \
  --entra --schema telex --default

Managing backends

telex backend list
telex backend show <name>
telex backend default <name>
telex backend remove <name>
telex backend kinds       # backend kinds compiled into this build

The first backend added becomes the default; --default or telex backend default <name> changes it. See the Networked Postgres backend guide.

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