# DrawDB — Open-Source Database Schema Diagram Editor

> A free browser-based tool for designing, visualizing, and exporting database schemas with support for MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB, and SQL Server.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# DrawDB — Open-Source Database Schema Diagram Editor

## Quick Use
```bash
git clone https://github.com/drawdb-io/drawdb.git
cd drawdb
npm install
npm run dev
```

## Introduction
DrawDB is a free, browser-based database entity-relationship diagram editor. It lets developers visually design schemas, define tables with columns and constraints, draw relationships, and export production-ready SQL — all without creating an account or installing software.

## What DrawDB Does
- Provides a drag-and-drop canvas for creating ER diagrams with tables, fields, and foreign keys
- Supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB, and SQL Server dialects
- Generates and exports DDL scripts directly from the visual diagram
- Imports existing SQL to reverse-engineer schemas into editable diagrams
- Saves projects locally in the browser with JSON export and import

## Architecture Overview
DrawDB is a single-page React application that runs entirely in the browser. The canvas is rendered using a custom SVG-based layout engine. Schema metadata is stored in an in-memory model that serializes to JSON for persistence. SQL generation is handled by dialect-specific emitter modules that walk the schema graph and produce DDL statements.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Clone the repository and run with Node.js 18+ using npm or yarn
- Build a static production bundle with `npm run build` and serve via any web server
- No backend server or database is required since all data stays in the browser
- Deploy to Vercel, Netlify, or any static hosting provider with zero configuration
- Use Docker: `docker build -t drawdb . && docker run -p 3000:3000 drawdb`

## Key Features
- Completely free and open-source with no account required
- Real-time visual feedback as you add tables, columns, and relationships
- One-click SQL export for five major database dialects
- Reverse-import from SQL files to visualize existing schemas
- Lightweight and fast with no server-side dependencies

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **dbdiagram.io** — cloud-hosted, freemium model with collaboration; DrawDB is fully local and free
- **DBeaver ER Diagrams** — integrated into a heavy desktop client; DrawDB is a focused web tool
- **pgModeler** — PostgreSQL-only desktop modeler; DrawDB supports multiple dialects in the browser
- **Lucidchart** — general diagramming SaaS with database shapes; DrawDB is purpose-built for schemas
- **ChartDB** — similar concept but DrawDB has broader dialect support and SQL import

## FAQ
**Q: Does DrawDB require a backend server?**
A: No. Everything runs in your browser. Data is stored in localStorage or exported as JSON/SQL files.

**Q: Can I import an existing database schema?**
A: Yes. Paste or upload a SQL DDL file and DrawDB will parse it into an editable diagram.

**Q: Which databases are supported for export?**
A: MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB, and SQL Server.

**Q: Is there a collaboration or multi-user mode?**
A: Not built-in. You share diagrams by exporting and importing JSON project files.

## Sources
- https://github.com/drawdb-io/drawdb
- https://drawdb.vercel.app

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-c1320e30
Author: Script Depot