04.12.06

MySQL clients: what’s your poison?

Posted in web dev, byteclub at 2:01 am by Clinton

So what do you use for mysql? Love that command line? Can’t live without a GUI? Web front-end is your thing? I’m curious… here’s some i’ve looked at recently (this ain’t no definitive guide), and so I thought I’d post a quick wrap and ask for further comment from the enlightened byteclubbers…

Tool	License	Version	Size
MySQL Client	GNU GPL	5.0.19-0	~17M (with "essentials")
MySQL Query Browser	GNU GPL	1.1.20	~5M
MySQL Administrator	GNU GPL	1.19	~5MB
DBDesigner4	GNU GPL	4.0.5.6	~5.6MB
DBManager for MySQl	Freeware (Private use)	3.1.1	~4MB
Squirrel-sql	GNU LGPL	2.2rc1	~8.9MB
phpMyAdmin	GNU GPL	2.8.0.3	~3.6MB

You’ll notice that there is a pattern of “free” in the above list. Go figure… and hey - tables work in wp!

Now, the good-ole mysql client (CLI) you should know. I read recently something like “knowing SQL with a GUI is like knowing HTML with FrontPage” :~). But we still, we all like a good tool, and you should know your way around this puppy…

The mysql query browser is a new one - I didn’t know about it and i’m trying it tonight. So far, nice. Apparently you can say MyQB? Whatever. You can just type in your queries (it keeps a memory like a web browser concept), or use the tool bars to create a select type query -also nice. You can easily compare result sets and edit records, add new etc. So far my favourite features has to be the “Inline Help” feature (syntax/functions/params) because looking through the mysql.org docs again (for something i’ve used before and “kinda” know the syntax but can’t quite rememebr) is not my idea of fun. There’s also a script editor concept. (Not just multiple queries executed sequentially, but controllable conditional execution - nice.) Turn on the “advanced tools bars” - more buttons. There is a table editor (i couldn’t seem to change the order of fields… doesn’t really matter but) with clear options and some handy drag-n-drop features.

The mysql administrator - it’s an administration tool not a SQL client. So, use it to check the health of your databases, the memory, status variables, replication, backup, restoration etc! Look, it’s a definite advantage over the command line if your not a power (ie remember everything) user. Plus - the graph of load/memory etc a asthetically pleasing :~). You can create projects and schedual backups of your databases… cool. Just a note: the MyQB and this admin tool know about each other (and the command line tool if its available) and you can switch to each respective tool using handy menu links (and the connection details are store so you don’t have to retype that - but not the passwords - its called security!).

DbDesigner4. This probably deserves its own post, because I think its pretty cool. That said, i really haven’t used it that much yet, and only to “reverse engineer” existing db tables to get pretty diagrams of the design. I still have much to learn, so if anyone has used this one and can tell the pro/con features, let me know. So far, i like it a lot.

DbManager Pro - I’ve been using this tool since the dark ages, and so it has a special place to me and I included here, especially when it was (at the time) one of the best windows based GUI table editors/creators i’d found - it really helped me when I didn’t know the syntax etc and could do things graphically instead. However, after some buggy version in the past and UI changes, i’m not so loyal now, but its still a solid tool (and free for non-commercial use, which also limits my preference now).

SQuirreL SQL is a graphica java app to view, browse data, issue SQL command of JDBC compliant databses. It has a generic plugin architecture, but comes with a standard plugin for MySQL (to support “DBMS specific capabilities”). Features: code completion, syntax highlightiing, graphs, script generation etc. (The installer ses IzPack www.isforge.com which I though was pretty slick). Took me a while to sort through the require mysql driver install - that could be easier (but easy for a fluent java/db user i’m sure). As a sql creator/syntax helper, its pretty good, but the install hassels left me tired.

phpMyAdmin (why not phpMySQLAdmin eh?) has been around since the stone age, and has had its share of exploits etc which always makes one wary. However, you can’t deny it’s a very useful web interface to mysql and is so packed with features I often turn to it for a quick alteration etc (if available - and that’s the pinch - it needs to be installed *and* maintained.). Also, it can be slow (hardware/network specific of course). Whenever I’ve set this one up i’ve always locked it up as much as i’ve known how (https, .htaccess, chmod -r until needed etc!). Bottom line I think: very useful, very popular (lots of award etc), strong features. Theme-able too… yikes.

“Short” blog eh? hehe.. well, hope it gets some interest. Let me know what you do!

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