Passwords in the Keychain, Queries in Three Languages

Jan 28, 2026·2 min read·v0.6.0·securityi18nkeychainux

Two things in v0.6.0 aren't flashy, but they matter more than most feature launches. System keychain integration fixes the nagging security concern of storing database passwords in a config file. Internationalization makes Tabularis accessible in three languages from day one.

The Problem with Stored Credentials

Until v0.6.0, connection credentials lived in a local JSON config file. Encrypted? No. Readable by any process with filesystem access? Yes. Acceptable for early prototypes, not acceptable for a tool that stores production database passwords.

v0.6.0 integrates with your operating system's native keychain:

  • macOS: Keychain Access
  • Windows: Windows Credential Manager
  • Linux: libsecret / GNOME Keyring or KWallet

When you save a connection, the password goes to the keychain — not the config file. When you reconnect, Tabularis retrieves it through the OS secure API. You don't see the handoff; it just works.

API keys for AI providers follow the same pattern. Configure an OpenAI or Anthropic key in Settings and it lives in the keychain, never in a settings JSON file on disk.

Three Languages

Tabularis v0.6.0 ships the full UI in English, Italian, and Spanish. Language detection is automatic based on your system locale, with a manual override in Settings.

Internationalization is unglamorous work — every string needs to be extracted, every plural form handled correctly, every date format adapted. But it's a multiplier: users who were blocked by a language barrier can now use the app.

More languages are planned. If you'd like to contribute a translation, the i18n files are straightforward JSON — no build step, no toolchain to set up.

Tab Context Menu

A smaller addition from this release: right-clicking an editor tab opens a context menu with Rename, Close, Close Others, and Close All. The kind of polish that makes the editor feel like a proper application rather than a prototype.

What This Signals

Neither keychain integration nor i18n is a shiny demo feature. They're infrastructure. Getting them right in v0.6.0 means future releases can focus on capabilities rather than catching up on correctness. That was the point.

Connection Setup in Tabularis v0.6.0 Connection Setup — passwords entered here are stored in the OS keychain, never in a config file.