How to Diagnose PostgreSQL's pg_hba.conf Host Authentication Errors
The PostgreSQL error 'FATAL: no pg_hba.conf entry for host' is a common but frequently misdiagnosed connection failure that can stem from multiple distinct root causes. The error message encodes four key fields — client IP address, database user, database name, and SSL/encryption state — all of which must match an existing row in the pg_hba.conf file for a connection to succeed. Administrators are advised to first confirm which pg_hba.conf file PostgreSQL is actually using via the SHOW hba_file command, since the active file may differ from the expected one in Docker or package-managed environments. Rules in pg_hba.conf are evaluated top-to-bottom and the first match wins, meaning rule ordering, IPv4 versus IPv6 address format, and SSL connection type can each cause a seemingly correct rule to be bypassed. A targeted diagnostic approach — reading the exact error fields, locating the correct config file, and validating rules with pg_hba_file_rules — is recommended over applying generic fixes that address only one possible cause.
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