MySQL is among most widely-used and popular database technologies, so quite a lot of tools have been created in order to make the processes of designing, creating, and administering databases easier and more convenient. However, with all of the possible options, it can be difficult to choose one tool that will fit your requirements best. That is why I prepared a list of 10 MySQL GUI tools that, in my opinion, are the best solutions both for developers and DBAs alike.
Let’s take a closer look at them.
dbForge Studio for MySQL
This multi-purpose GUI tool is an IDE that comprises a wide range of features and functionality necessary for MySQL database development and maintenance. It allows you to create and execute queries, develop and debug stored routines, automate database object management, analyze table data via an intuitive interface, and much more.
In addition to dbForge Studio, Devart offers various standalone MySQL developer tools, which you can check here.
Pros:
• Rich code formatting functionality that allows to create and modify code profiles to standardize your code and make it as clean as possible
• MariaDB database is supported
• Ability to create result scripts for SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements to a SQL file with the help of the CRUD Generator
MySQL Workbench
MySQL Workbench is a unified visual tool for database architects, developers, and DBAs. It provides various functionality for designing, developing, and administering databases. It’s available in 3 editions – Community, Standard, and Enterprise. Community is a free open-source edition offering a basic set of features, and the remaining two are commercial editions with extended functionality.
Pros:
• Allows to see server status and health, as well as server logs
• Developed by Oracle, the company behind MySQL itself, so you can be sure MySQL Workbench will be compatible with all recent features of MySQL
• Available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X
phpMyAdmin
phpMyAdmin is a web-based MySQL administration tool written in PHP. It’s one of the most popular tools of its kind, mainly due to how easy it is to use and the fact that it’s completely free. It may lack some advanced features other tools provide, but its basic functionality is enough to help you create functioning websites without advanced knowledge of MySQL.
Pros:
• Can be easily accessed from most computers because it’s web-based
• Simple to install and use
• Available in 80 languages – both left-to-right and right-to-left ones
HeidiSQL
HeidiSQL is a lightweight freeware tool for working with databases, be it browsing or editing data, creating and modifying tables, managing user privileges, or other tasks. In addition to Windows, it works with Linux distributions but will require the Wine platform in this case.
Pros:
• Can connect to MySQL databases through an SSH tunnel.
• Allows to batch-insert ASCII and binary files into tables
• Available in a portable version which doesn’t require installation or administrative privileges
Toad Edge for MySQL
Toad Edge for MySQL provides a toolset for database development and administration with features such as schema comparison and synchronization, SQL query monitor, robust data import and export, database snapshot creation, advanced JSON editor, and more. Toad Edge is available for Windows and Mac OS X.
Pros:
• Powerful JSON data browser/editor functionality
• Session viewer that allows to track current sessions, terminate them, or cancel queries
• Round-the-clock user support
SQLyog
SQLyog is a MySQL management solution for Windows available in three paid editions. It also has a free trial which allows you to test the software before purchasing a license. Its extensive feature list makes up for the fact that it’s not accessible for free – you can synchronize data and schemas, perform scheduled backups, import external data, and much more.
Pros:
• Customizable user interface with various themes
• Multi-threaded query execution
• Shortcuts which allow generating SQL DML statements from the schema definition
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MySQL is a set of tools for database developers and administrators which is compatible with MySQL, MariaDB, and cloud databases. A wide range of features provides the ability to simplify the database development process and increase your productivity when working on various management and administration tasks. This tool comes in three paid editions and has a 14-day fully functional free trial to help you evaluate its functionality.
Pros:
• Available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux
• Allows synchronizing your connection settings, models, queries, and virtual groups to the Navicat Cloud so you can share them with your coworkers at any time, from any place.
• Ability to print schedule reports in the Windows edition
Aqua Data Studio
Aqua Data Studio is a versatile IDE for relational, cloud, and NoSQL databases with powerful visual data analysis functionality. It allows you to visually build queries, model entity relationship diagrams, edit data in an Excel-style grid, and perform other database development and administration tasks.
Pros:
• Create engaging visualizations of data and share them with colleagues and customers with the help of the tool’s robust visual analytics capabilities
• Develop and debug scripts in a scripting development environment with a set of open APIs
• View query execution plans and their statistics to understand how to increase overall server performance
Valentina Studio
This GUI tool allows you to create and maintain databases, queries, object relations, and more. The free edition comprises basic functionality such as editing schemas and creating diagrams for them, server administration, code completion, etc. The paid Pro version provides additional features such as the report designer, query builder, and others.
Pros:
• Provides various database continuous integration tools
• Supports Valentina databases which feature the unique Abstraction Links – they allow developers to use both API and SQL commands to create, delete and modify links between tables, link and unlink records, and more.
• Has a free iOS version
Sequel Pro
Sequel Pro is a free MySQL database management tool which allows performing all basic tasks such as adding, modifying, removing, browsing, and filtering databases, tables, and records, running queries, and more. While other MySQL tools we looked at are available for Windows and other OS, Sequel Pro will only work on Mac OS X. This tool is the successor of the CocoaMySQL database management application.
Pros:
• Easily connects to databases through the TCP/IP protocol
• Supports all MySQL versions starting from 3.x
• Lightweight and easy to use
Conclusion
I presented some information about various GUI tools designed for working with MySQL and facilitating your database development and management processes. These tools and their editions can be divided into two categories: free and paid.
If you only need the essential functionality for your database development and/or your goal is to get familiar with MySQL databases and improve your skills, a freeware tool from one of those we mentioned would be a great choice – for example, HeidiSQL, the free edition of SQL Workbench, Sequel Pro if you’re working on Mac OS X, etc.
On the other hand, if you need extended functionality that will help in any part of the database lifecycle for the most productive and high-quality development and administration, it’s highly recommended to consider some of the MySQL tools for Windows (and other OS) such as the dbForge Studio IDE, Navicat, Toad Edge, or others as they provide the widest range of capabilities.
