Database design tools for MariaDB

List of tools that allow for the design of a database.

Database design is a set of activities aimed at improving the development, implementation, and maintenance of an enterprise data management system. Its main goal is to reflect the outline of the database system into real models: physical and logical. Database designers determine what data is to be stored inside the database, and how objects are to be related to each other.

Dataedo

Dataedo is a metadata management tool with data description language (DDL) export. It reads your schema and lets you easily describe each data element (tables and columns) and other database objects (like triggers, stored procedures, etc.) visually as ER diagrams. Additionally, DDL export allows you to export your database to a set of statements like CREATE and ALTER.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: No
ER Diagram: Yes
Dataedo Data Catalog
DDL Export

Navicat Data Modeler

Navicat Data Modeler is a powerful and cost-effective database design tool that helps to build high-quality conceptual, logical, and physical data models. It allows to visually design database structures, perform reverse/forward engineering processes, import models from ODBC data sources, generate complex SQL/DDL, print models to files, and much more.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: No
ER Diagram: Yes

dbForge Studio for MySQL

dbForge Studio for SQL Server is an extremely helpful IDE for effective development of Microsoft SQL Server. With this tool, users can easily manage, administer, and analyze the Microsoft SQL Server's databases. THe IDE is great for performing any database tasks, and it males all processes much faster, too.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: No
ER Diagram: Yes

Model Xtractor

Model Xtractor is a software utility designed to inspect modeling for traditional or enhanced ER models, with support for most relational database platforms.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: Yes
ER Diagram: Yes

DatabaseSpy

Altova DatabaseSpy is the unique multi-database query, design, and database comparison tool that even generates elegant charts directly from query results.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: No
ER Diagram: Yes

Adminer

Adminer is a tool for managing contents of MySQL databases, formerly known as phpMinAdmin. It is a full-featured database management tool written in PHP.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: Yes
ER Diagram: Yes

DbVisualizer

DbVisualizer is the universal database tool for developers, DBAs, and analysts. It is aimed to simplify database development and management. It provides tree-based navigation through database objects and let multiple objects to be displayed side-by-side.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: Yes
ER Diagram: Yes

DbSchema

DbSchema is a intuitive designer for complex databases, visual interaction and documentation.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: No
ER Diagram: Yes

SQLyog

SQLyog is the most powerful manager, admin and GUI tool for MySQL, combining the features of MySQL Query Browser, Administrator, phpMyAdmin and other MySQL Front Ends and MySQL GUI tools in a single intuitive interface. It provides you with powerful means to manage your MySQL databases.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: No
ER Diagram: Yes

RazorSQL

RazorSQL is an SQL query tool, database browser, SQL editor, and database administration tool. It provides visual tools to create, alter, describe, execute, and drop database objects such as tables, views, indexes, stored procedures, functions, triggers, and more.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: No
ER Diagram: No

Valentina Studio

Valentina Studio is a database management tool that helps to create, administer, query, and explore Valentina DB, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and SQLite databases for FREE.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: No
Free edition: Yes
ER Diagram: Yes

SQLGate

SQLGate is an integrated database management and development solution that simplifies the construction and operation of databases. It makes it easier and quicker to deal with databases holding large amounts of data.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: Yes
ER Diagram: Yes

QuickDBD

Quick Database Diagrams (QuickDBD) is a simple online tool to quickly draw database diagrams by typing.

Desktop/Cloud: Cloud
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: Yes
ER Diagram: Yes

TablePlus

TablePlus is a native tool with an intuitive interface that you can use to create, query, edit, and save your databases in a very fast and secure way.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: No
ER Diagram: No

Moon Modeler

Moon Modeler is a visual database design tool for both relational and noSQL databases. The key features include the visual design of hierarchical structures, MongoDB script generation, various display modes, possibility to add custom notes to the diagram, and more. For PostgreSQL, MariaDB and MongoDB reverse engineering features are available.

Desktop/Cloud: Desktop
Generate DDL scripts: Yes
Free edition: Yes
ER Diagram: Yes

The database design process can be very complicated. The more complex the system, the more sophisticated the tool is needed. Their functionality can vary greatly, however, core features include:
• creating and editing database objects,
• database architecture modeling,
• visualization of a database schema,
• tracking relationships between entities,
• grouping logically related objects into clusters,
• diagrams overview.

Database designer tools enable building graphical models and generating DDL scripts on their basis. The script describes data and relations between entities in the designed database. Furthermore, the tools enable reverse engineering (visualization of the model from the SQL script).

Key factors of creating a reliable and well-organized database are:
• a properly designed data structure,
• establishing what data should be stored in particular objects,
• how objects should be related to each other.

All of them can be improved by using the relevant Database design tool. Additionally, some of them allow the visual representation of data using ERD, makes it easier to visualize even more complex schemas.

Without proper software, development is based on raw code. This increases the risk of errors at the initial stage. The tools allow users to edit the visual layout using simple drag-and-drop functions. With a user-friendly interface, browsing the structure is possible even for non-IT people.

We have created a list of tools that support the process of creating database structure and its content. Our list includes free database design tools as well as advanced, more professional data management tools.