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Database documentation tools for SQL Server
List of tools that allow the documentation (e.g. with descriptions) of schema of your databases.
Database documentation is a set of descriptions of the data, that facilitate management, maintenance, and retrieval of resources. Documentation can take many forms, however, it usually acts as a data catalog that holds detailed information about the table schema, all relationships, data types, etc. Description of datasets as well as single data objects also is referred to as metadata (data about the data).
DrawSQL
DrawSQL helps dev teams create beautiful schema diagrams to document their database entity relationships. The app has a strong focus on crafting a delightful user experience, with keyboard shortcuts and a modern app design so you can create your document at the speed of thought. It currently supports MySQL, PostgresSQL and SQL server. It also has an extensive library of over 200+ database schemas of popular open-source packages, useful as inspiration when architecting a new app feature.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Metadata stored in: | External repository |
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GenMyModel
With GenMyModel’s standard data modeling notation, data architects not only keep glossaries and data models under control, but they can design and reverse engineer data models and link them to other IT and business models, such as UML, Archimate and BPMN.
| Data Lineage: | - |
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Metadata stored in: | - |
| Export: | HTML,MS Word,Online HTML,PDF,XML |
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dbForge Studio for MySQL
dbForge Studio for MySQL has a great built-in feature that automates documentation generation in many formats. MySQL database documentation generator allows for customization of generated documentation files to meet users' needs.
| Data Lineage: | - |
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Metadata stored in: | - |
| Export: | - |
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SQLDoc Sharp (discontinued)
SQLDoc Sharp is a free and open-source tool designed to generate the SQL Server (2005, 2008) documentation.
| Data Lineage: | - |
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Free |
| Free edition: |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | CHM,XML |
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CSVReader SQL Server Data Dictionary
CSVReader SQL Server Data Dictionary is a SQL script that will generate a data dictionary for all tables in a SQL Server database. It includes schemas, foreign keys, primary keys, nulls, identities, data types, lengths, default values and descriptions.
| Data Lineage: | - |
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Free |
| Free edition: |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | CSV,XML |
| ER Diagram: |
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| Dependencies: |
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Database documentation tools support data management by creating helpful descriptions, meaningful aliases, and annotating data assets with additional elements. The tools capture all the relevant information about the metadata and make it available to the users in a convenient way (tabular or graphical). The features of documentation tools can vary widely. The tools allow users to:
• Facilitate datasets with meaningful descriptions/aliases,
• Create relational diagrams,
• Advance search of resources,
• Track schema changes,
• Document repositories from various sources, through compatibility with many database engines,
• Automatic documentation export to user-friendly formats and easy-to-share formats (HTML, PDF, Excell )
Developers (especially those working on the backend) are constantly faced with questions from non-IT teams or customers about what a given object means. This is because creating and maintaining documentation is not a top priority. However, using documentation tools has many benefits such as:
• Help Data stewards quickly discover database schema,
• Data becomes understandable for non-IT members,
• Documentation as a single source of truth about the data is available to everyone
• Easier implementation for new people working on the repository,
We have selected database documenters that, we believe, are truly noteworthy. We have included both, open-source tools and advanced, professional software (offering trial versions).