Native Cloud SQL Auth Proxy Integration

[mdreizin]

Problem

Google Cloud SQL users commonly connect through the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy, which provides IAM-based authentication and secure TLS connections without requiring direct database exposure or certificate management.

Today, using TablePro with Cloud SQL requires users to:

1. Install the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy manually.
2. Start the proxy from a terminal.
3. Manage proxy lifecycle separately from TablePro.
4. Configure database connections to localhost ports exposed by the proxy.

This creates additional setup complexity compared to other managed database services.

Proposed solution

Add built-in Cloud SQL Auth Proxy support to TablePro.

Possible implementation options:

Option 1: Managed Proxy Process (Preferred)

Allow users to configure:

• GCP Project
• Instance Connection Name (project:region:instance)
• Authentication method:
  • Application Default Credentials
  • Service Account JSON
  • gcloud authenticated user

TablePro would automatically:

• Launch the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy in the background
• Manage proxy lifecycle
• Connect through the local proxy endpoint
• Restart the proxy when needed

Option 2: Proxy-Aware Connection Type

Add a dedicated "Google Cloud SQL" connection type that simplifies setup while still using the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy under the hood.

Benefits

• Much easier onboarding for Cloud SQL users
• Supports Google’s recommended connection method
• Enables IAM-based authentication workflows
• Reduces manual terminal usage
• Better developer experience for teams using GCP

Supported Databases

This feature would benefit all Cloud SQL engines currently supported by TablePro:

• PostgreSQL
• MySQL
• SQL Server

Additional Considerations

• Auto-download Cloud SQL Auth Proxy binaries per platform
• Proxy status indicators in the connection UI
• Automatic port allocation
• Support for multiple Cloud SQL instances simultaneously
• Secure credential storage using the macOS Keychain

References

• Google Cloud SQL Auth Proxy
  • PostgreSQL https://docs.cloud.google.com/sql/docs/postgres/sql-proxy
  • MySQL https://docs.cloud.google.com/sql/docs/mysql/sql-proxy
  • SQL Server https://docs.cloud.google.com/sql/docs/sqlserver/sql-proxy
• Cloud SQL Auth Proxy https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-sql-proxy

Alternatives considered

Using cloud-sql-proxy was considered as a workaround because it can provide secure connectivity to Cloud SQL instances without requiring the proposed changes. However, this approach introduces additional manual setup and does not address the underlying issue, such as port conflicts when running multiple connections. As a result, it is considered a temporary workaround rather than the preferred long-term solution.

Related database type

PostgreSQL