From c3eb3d7264fd77ef88320251f910accd6df8164a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Stefan Kreutz <mail@skreutz.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 01:33:34 +0200
Subject: Add --symlink option

---
 CHANGELOG.md     |  1 +
 README.md        | 20 ++++++++++++++------
 temp-postgres.1  | 20 +++++++++++++-------
 temp-postgres.sh | 17 ++++++++++++++++-
 4 files changed, 44 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)

diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e06782a..c39b236 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep A Changelog][] and this project adheres to [Semanti
 ### Added
 
 * Added option to execute a given command when PostgreSQL server is ready
+* Added `--symlink` option to enable static client configuration
 * Added minimal `--help` option
 * Added changelog
 * Added experimental Nix flake
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 92990f5..51ccdc8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -13,12 +13,6 @@ Create and serve a temporary database:
 temp-postgres
 ```
 
-Specify a database name, and PostgreSQL user name:
-
-```sh
-temp-postgres --dbname myproject --username alex
-```
-
 Wrap the `psql` command to connect to the temporary database once the server is ready:
 
 ```sh
@@ -44,6 +38,20 @@ platform = { host = 'cfg(unix)' }
 run-wrapper = 'temp-postgres'
 ```
 
+Set up a symlink to enable static client configuration:
+
+```sh
+temp-postgres --symlink ./db
+psql --host "$(realpath ./db)"
+```
+
+Specify a database name, and PostgreSQL user name:
+
+```sh
+temp-postgres --dbname myproject --username alex
+```
+
+
 See the manual page for details.
 
 ## Dependencies
diff --git a/temp-postgres.1 b/temp-postgres.1
index 324a2f1..94f13cd 100644
--- a/temp-postgres.1
+++ b/temp-postgres.1
@@ -69,19 +69,25 @@ and the
 .Sh EXAMPLES
 Create and serve a temporary database:
 .Bd -literal -offset indent
-$ temp-postgres
-.Ed
-.Pp
-Specify a database name, and PostgreSQL user name:
-.Bd -literal -offset indent
-$ temp-postgres --dbname myproject --username alex
+temp-postgres
 .Ed
 .Pp
 Wrap the
 .Xr psql 1
 command to connect to the temporary database once the server is ready:
 .Bd -literal -offset indent
-$ temp-postgres -- psql
+temp-postgres -- psql
+.Ed
+.Pp
+Set up a symlink to enable static client configuration:
+.Bd -literal -offset indent
+temp-postgres --symlink ./db
+psql --host "$(realpath ./db)"
+.Ed
+.Pp
+Specify a database name, and PostgreSQL user name:
+.Bd -literal -offset indent
+temp-postgres --dbname myproject --username alex
 .Ed
 .Sh SEE ALSO
 .Xr postgres 1 ,
diff --git a/temp-postgres.sh b/temp-postgres.sh
index 8504257..96f90d2 100755
--- a/temp-postgres.sh
+++ b/temp-postgres.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ quit() {
     ( >&2 printf "temp-postgres: failed to remove temporary directory: %s\\n" "${tmpdir}" )
     [ "${code}" -ne 0 ] || code=1
   }
+  [ -z "${symlink:-}" ] || ! [ -L "$symlink" ] || unlink "$symlink" || {
+    ( >&2 printf "temp-postgres: failed to unlink %s\\n" "$symlink" )
+    [ "${code}" -ne 0 ] || code=1
+  }
   exit "${code}"
 }
 
@@ -35,7 +39,7 @@ username="$( id -un )"
 while [ $# -gt 0 ] ; do
   case "$1" in
     -h|--help)
-      echo "Usage: temp-postgres [-h|--help] [-d|--dbname <dbname>] [-u|--username <username>] [--] [<command>]"
+      echo "Usage: temp-postgres [-h|--help] [-d|--dbname <dbname>] [-u|--username <username>] [--symlink <path>] [--] [<command>]"
       exit
       ;;
     -d|--dbname)
@@ -46,6 +50,10 @@ while [ $# -gt 0 ] ; do
       username="$2"
       shift 2
       ;;
+    --symlink)
+      symlink="$2"
+      shift 2
+      ;;
     --)
       shift
       break
@@ -89,6 +97,13 @@ createdb --host="${tmpdir}" --username="${username}" --no-password "${dbname}" |
   quit 1
 }
 
+if [ -n "${symlink:-}" ] ; then
+  ln -sf "${tmpdir}" "$symlink" || {
+    ( >&2 printf "temp-postgres: failed to create symlink %s\\n" "$symlink" )
+    quit 1
+  }
+fi
+
 printf '
 Connect with the following command:
 
-- 
cgit v1.3