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Vertica
Database documentation tools
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).
SchemaCrawler
SchemaCrawler is a free database schema discovery and comprehension tool. Using the tool, you can search for database schema objects using regular expressions, and output the schema and data in a readable text format. The output serves for database documentation and is designed to be diff-ed against other database schemas.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Free |
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| Metadata stored in: | External repository |
| Export: | CSV,HTML,JSON,Plain text |
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SQL Schema Explorer (discontinued)
SQL Schema Explorer is a open-source tool that creates a dynamic website visible only to you that gives you effortless access to the tables, relationships and data in your database.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Free |
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| Metadata stored in: | - |
| Export: | HTML |
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Visual Expert for Oracle
Visual Expert for Oracle is a must-have solution for the maintenance of your Oracle code. It enables you generate documentation from the source code and creates reference manuals in HTML. You can also automatically generate the documents on a regular basis (scheduled tasks).
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | External repository |
| Export: | HTML |
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Visual Expert for SQL Server
Visual Expert for SQL Server provides solution for the maintenance of your SQL Server Code. You can visualize objects and dependencies of your SQL Server Code and generate documentation from the source code.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | External repository |
| Export: | HTML |
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Document! X
Document! X provides automatic documentation of SQL Server, Access, Oracle and other OLE DB databases. The generated database documentation is an accurate and comprehensive documentation set covering Schemas, Tables, Columns, Indexes, Relationships, Views, Stored Procedures, Triggers, etc.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | XML |
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dModelAid
dModelAid is the perfect modeling tool for documenting a complex database design in a simple, interactive diagram. Your database project gets documented along the way, simplifying the learning process for new employees, team members and/or substitutes.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
| Free edition: |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | HTML,PDF |
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Vertabelo
Vertabelo is a database modeler that gives you the power of visual design of databases online and create and export documentation for your current model with just a few clicks.
| Data Lineage: | - |
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | HTML,MS Word,PDF |
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DeZign for Databases
DeZign for Databases is an intuitive data modeling tool that can help you model, create and maintain databases along with generating the documentation of the models.
| Data Lineage: | - |
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
| Free edition: |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | HTML,MS Word,PDF |
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DbWrench
DbWrench helps in creating and modifying databases quicker and easier. It streamlines many common database tasks and generates HTML documentation of database designs.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | HTML |
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DbSchema
DbSchema facilitates to design, document and manage SQL and NoSQL databases. It is an intuitive designer for complex databases and provides documentation in HTML and PDF formats with interactive diagram vector image.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | HTML,PDF |
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SQLGate
SQLGate is an integrated database management and development solution that simplifies the construction and operation of databases. It allows you to generate database documentation containing details of all objects created in the database.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | HTML,PDF |
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ERBuilder Data Modeler
ERBuilder Data Modeler allows developers to graphically design databases by using entity relationship diagrams, and automatically generates the most popular SQL databases.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | HTML |
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Toad Data Modeler
Toad Data Modeler enables developers, DBAs, and designers to create, edit, maintain, and document quality database designs and structures across various database platforms.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | HTML,PDF,RTF |
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DBDesigner 4
DBDesigner 4 is a visual database design system that integrates database design, modeling, creation, maintenance and documentation into a single, seamless environment.
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| Runs on: (for desktop): | - |
| Commercial: | Commercial |
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| Allows editing: |
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| Metadata stored in: | Database comments/extended properties |
| Export: | HTML,PDF,XML |
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Database Deployment Manager
Database Deployment Manager (DDM) tool is a multi-platform tool that allows database administrators and users to create database structures (tables, queries, etc.) using an object-oriented methodology that can be used to populate multiple databases. It further offers documentation of complete database structures.
| 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: | HTML,PDF |
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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).