What is your recommendation for a good SQL IDE?

Question

What is the best SQL IDE you have used?

Answer 1

If you mean SQL Server, mine is still the pre-2005 version of the Query Analyser.

I also highly recommend Red-Gate's SQL Prompt.

Answer 2

If you're working with MySQL, phpMyAdmin has been the best for me hands-down.

Answer 3

Quest Toad. The link provided is to their excellent free version. They have free and pay versions for many major rdbms's including Oracle, MySQL, SQL Server, and DB2.

One great thing about Toad is it offers a consistent interface when working with all these DB's. So when you move to a new rdbms down the road you don't have to familiarize yourself with a new GUI specific to that db.

Also, the free version uses greyed out menu's/buttons in places where it's crippled so you can clearly see what you're missing. For many the free version is all you'll need.

Answer 4

Sql Server 2005 Express comes with an express edition of Sql Server Management Studio. I haven't tried Sql Server 2008 express, but I assume that it has Sql Server Management Studio 2008 express bundled as well. I haven't found anything that I've wanted to do with the express edition of Management Studio that I haven't been able to.

Answer 5

To complete the survey, for Oracle DB, Oracle's own SQL Developer is quite good (it's most recent incarnation include Intellisense-like drop-downs).

And Mentat Technologies' DreamCoder is a good free alternative.

Answer 6

I really like SQLyog for MySQL development. Not quite as pretty as Toad but it's never crashed on me in the middle of query.

Answer 7

For what it's worth, I second Red Gate's SQL Prompt. It provides necessary auto-complete features to whatever IDE you're already working on. You might try and look for one of the older, freeware versions of it on the web.

Answer 8

Definitely SQL Server Management Studio 2008, if you're using SQL Server.

It uses the Visual Studio editor component, highlights SQL errors as you code, and provides code completion if you're working against a SQL Server 2008 database.

Answer 9

If you are working with oracle, I would recomend PL/SQL developer, from All Round Automations. It's not free, but is cheap and very powerful

Answer 10

Dropping in a word here for Aqua Data Studio. It has query completion and a usable interface when compared to other tools that I've had to use such as Oracle SQL Developer 10g or Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.

Unfortunately, the application is not free and it is rather expensive for an individual developer when there is already so many free tools on the market. The 30-days of free-trial I had were the best 30-days I've ever spent using SQL.

Answer 11

Oracle - TOAD

SQL Server - Native Query Analyzer + Red Gate Extensions

Answer 12

I have used the MySQL GUI Tools for MySQL specific work. They are pretty good for being free.

For MSSSQL I tend to use the Enterprise Manager, Query Analyzer, Profiler combo to pretty good effect.

Answer 13

I use postgreSQL quite a bit and pgAdmin III, the default IDE, is really quite good. As far as commercial offerings, I really like Navicat a lot. They have versions for MySQL and Oracle as well. Not perfect by any means (what is?) by impressive nontheless.

Answer 14

I use DbVisualizer for any other Database than SQL Server.

Answer 15

MS SQL 2005 Server Management Studio.

Took me a while to get used to it vs. SQL 2000 Enterprise Manager and Query Analyzer, but now I'd never go back.

I use it to support both SQL 2000 and SQL 2005 servers.

Answer 16

SQuirreL will work with any database you can get a JDBC driver for. It will do name completion, which is very useful to me.

Answer 17

Somewhat tangential, but Query Express is great for quick-and-dirty selects when you don't want to fire up a more full-fledged application. I use it when I already have a dozen other windows open and don't want to give any memory to the Management Studio. It is lightning fast.

Answer 18

Oracle - TOAD (free version)

SQL Server - Native Query Analyzer

If your role is developer, I don't think you'll need anything else. I like to keep it simple as long as it's possible.

But if you're a DBA maybe you'll need something with more features (like monitoring connections, checking logs, etc).

Answer 19

Gotta throw out Aqua Data Studio like a previous poster. We use it here at work and couldn't live with out it, managing 10+ databases of all types. It's very advanced and robust. I would like to see a cheaper/free version that had less of the DBA features, if anyone from AquaFold is reading this ;-)

Answer 20

For development (stored procedures, triggers, rules and so on) I'm using at work the CAST SQL Builder (Sybase edition) by http://www.castsoftware.com I don't see it anymore, but they offered trials. I believe there were versions for MSSQL, Oracle and some other databases.

This is a great piece of software, the stored procedure debugger is just wonderful.

Whereas, for data retrieval and manipulation I use WinSQL, it's great.

Answer 21

For SQL Server, SQL Server Management Studio 2008 has a lot of great features.

I prefer SQL Server Query Analyzer, though, since it is much faster to load. It comes with SQL Server 2000.

Answer 22

RazorSQL. It supports pretty much any database you can think of and has a ton of tools and GUI features.

Answer 23

Depending on your needs, you might find neXtep designer very useful : it is a free GPL software based on Eclipse (so eclipse users will be able to get started very quickly). It offers data model diagrams, stored procedure editions, error annotations, auto-completions, hyperlinking, documentation hovers, dependency management and : version control through a dedicated repository.

You can version control your database developments (the structural entities, not the resulting scripts) and the product will automatically generate SQL scripts for you, allowing you to stay focus on your data model. You work on the version control repository and synchronize your work with any development database (or reverse integrate database changes back to the repository).

Learn more on our wiki :

http://www.nextep-softwares.com/wiki