Express Middleware

PG Dashboard exports an Express router factory:

const { pgDashboard } = require("pg-dashboard");

Mount it under any route:

app.use("/admin/db", pgDashboard({ connectionString }));

The dashboard serves both its internal API and the React app under that route.

Internal Route Order

The router is ordered like this:

1. API routes under /api/*
2. Static React assets from frontend/dist
3. SPA fallback returning index.html

This is what allows direct reloads such as /admin/db to keep working.

Protecting The Dashboard

The package does not include authentication. Protect the mounted path yourself:

function requireAdminUser(req, res, next) {
  if (!req.user?.isAdmin) {
    res.status(403).send("Forbidden");
    return;
  }

  next();
}

app.use(
  "/admin/db",
  requireAdminUser,
  pgDashboard({
    connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL,
  }),
);

Using An Existing Pool

If your app already manages a pg pool, pass it directly:

const { Pool } = require("pg");
const { pgDashboard } = require("pg-dashboard");

const pool = new Pool({
  connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL,
  max: 10,
});

app.use(
  "/admin/db",
  pgDashboard({
    pool,
    schemaName: "public",
  }),
);

When pool is provided, PG Dashboard does not create its own pool.