Database development involves structure, change, performance, and safety. Developers rely on specialized tools to handle each area efficiently.
Below is a grouped overview of common database tools and what they’re used for.
Clients and Modeling
These tools support daily database work and schema planning.
DbVisualizer, feature-rich client with strong visualization.
DataGrip, SQL IDE for advanced query development.
DBeaver, flexible open-source client.
TablePlus / HeidiSQL, fast, minimal database clients.
Lucidchart / draw.io, ER diagrams and schema planning.
DbSchema / Luna Modeler, modeling with forward and reverse engineering.
Migrations and CI/CD
Used to apply database changes safely across environments.
Flyway, SQL-first migrations.
Liquibase, change-set driven updates.
Sqitch, change tracking with rollback focus.
Airbyte, data syncing and CDC.
Kafka / Confluent, event-driven integration.
Backups and Monitoring
Protect data and keep systems responsive.
pg_dump / mysqldump, logical backups.
Percona XtraBackup, hot MySQL backups.
Veeam / Bacula, enterprise recovery solutions.
SolarWinds DPA / PMM, database performance monitoring.
Datadog / New Relic, full-stack observability.
Testing, Logging, and Security
Ensure correctness and protect systems.
tSQLt / DBUnit / DbFit, database testing.
Splunk / pgBadger / ELK, logs and audits.
IBM Guardium / Imperva, enterprise database security.
Fail2ban / SQLMap, intrusion prevention and vulnerability testing.
Internal Tool Builders
Create custom database-driven tools.
Appsmith / DronaHQ, low-code internal tools.
AppSheet / Power Apps / Softr, no-code database apps.
Conclusion
Database tools help developers manage complexity without manual risk. A focused toolset usually works better than trying to cover everything with one solution. Read the original article here Best Database Tools for Developers: Ultimate List.
Top comments (1)
I usually just think of databases as 'where the data goes. I hadn't really connected the dots on how to handle database changes in a CI/CD pipeline until I saw the Migrations section here. Seeing Flyway and Liquibase listed as 'change-set' tools is a huge lightbulb moment for me it makes so much more sense to treat DB changes like code versioning. Definitely bookmarking this for when I start my next deployment. Great read :)