Is there a good alternative to SQL*PLUS for Oracle?

Question

I am not a fan of using SQL*PLUS as an interface to Oracle. I usually use yasql, but it hasn't been updated since 2005 and can do with some improvements. A quick Google search shows yasql and SQLPal. I am using linux, so SQLPal is not an option.

Are there any alternatives out there, or am I stuck with an interface that I do not like or one that is no longer maintained?

Answer 1

TOAD is pretty expensive, but it looks like there's a freeware version available (not sure of the featureset on this version, though):

http://www.softhypermarket.com/TOAD-for-Oracle-Freeware-download_39170.html

Another options is a tool I've seen on CodeProject:

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/database/OQuery.aspx

It's in .NET, so you'd have to see if it compiled on Mono, but it might be worth a shot. I haven't used either tool (Toad or this one), since I'm a SQL Server guy, but I've heard good things about Toad.

Answer 2

I presume that you want a low-overhead method of knocking out queries, but want more functions than SQL*Plus provides? Why not use Oracle's SQL Developer? It's free.

Install, make a new connection to your database, then just start typing a script. Press F5 to run it (or just the part of the script that you've highlighted).

Answer 3

toad from quest software if you can pay for a license

sql squirrel if you can't.

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Answer 4

It depends what you are looking for. If it is a GUI query tool, then Oracle have their free SQL Developer product (though it has a hefty footprint). There's a few free cross-database ones too. I like SQUirrel SQL client myself. There's also DBVisualiser and a few others. JEdit is an editor that has a DBConsole plugin for running database queries and DML/DDL. They are all java based so run most places.

If you like a command line, check out sqlpython (the developer has identified a couple of others too)

Answer 5

I like SQL Developer. It's free, has an intuitive UI, and runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It also supports many sql*plus commands and supports version control

Answer 6

You could try PL/SQL developer from allroundautomations, there is a trial available and the price is much lower than TOAD.

Regards K

Answer 7

Take a look at gqlplus. It wraps sql*plus on linux and makes it more user-friendly by adding things like command history, table name completion and so on.

Answer 8

If it's command-line you want, I'd recommend rlwrap to go with sqlplus; it gives you line-editing capabilities and command history, making sqlplus a somewhat usable tool.

Answer 9

Emacs can provide so much more powerful text editing features and functionality beyond the default SQL*Plus command-line interface.

Here are a few links on how to use Emacs as a wrapper for SQL*Plus:

• Emacs and Oracle
• EmacsWiki:SqlPlus

Answer 10

open source version of TOAD is TORA: tora.sourceforge.net

Answer 11

I like RazorSQL. Low cost, cross platform, and excellent support for almost all databases like Oracle, MySQL, MS SQL Server, PostgreSQL, even small stuff like SQLite.

Answer 12

Have used both Toad & SQL Navigator, and I love the stability SQL Navigator has.