Software:DbVisualizer

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DbVisualizer
DbVisualizer
DbVisualizer
Original author(s)Roger Bjärevall
Developer(s)DbVis Software AB
Initial releaseJuly 1999; 25 years ago (1999-07)
Stable release
12.0.1 / 28 January 2021; 3 years ago (2021-01-28)
Written inJava
Operating systemWindows, MacOS and Linux/Unix
LicenseFree and Commercial (Pro) license
Websitewww.dbvis.com

DbVisualizer is a database management system tool that is independent of database vendors. It runs on Windows, MacOS och Linux/Unix. DbVisualizer utilizes the underlying JDBC drivers from each database vendor to integrate with and provide support for most major commercially available database engines. The software is used as a tool for developers, analysts, and database administrators.[1]

DbVisualizer[2] is available in two versions – “Free” which is free of charge, and “Pro”, a commercial version.[3]

History

DbVisualizer started as a hobby project in 1998 when Java programmer Roger Bjärevall[4] was unable to find a database tool the met his requirements. He chose the platform independent and at the time novel programming language Java for his project. The original scope was to visualize primary foreign key mappings in Oracle. The first Free version was made available in July 1999.

The project grew gradually and developed into a tool for multiple databases, then a relative novelty at a time when database tools typically emanated from database vendors and only supported their own database engine. The primary mechanism for connecting DbVisualizer to databases is through the JDBC driver that comes with most databases.

July 2002 saw DbVisualizer 3.0, which was the first release with both a free version and a commercial version. The same year BEA Systems made contact, which resulted in the integration for DbVisualizer 3.2 with WebLogic Workshop.[5]

Until 2004 the built-in support for JDBC was used exclusively to integrate DbVisualizer with various databases. But there was a need for supporting database-specific functionality, and XML was phased in as a tool for both database vendors and the developers of DbVisualizer to support proprietary functionality in database engines. To support specific features in a database, some Java coding may also be required.

During the first years, DbVisualizer was virtually alone as a general, independent database tool supporting multiple database engines. But alternatives have emerged over time.[6] Some development has gone in the opposite direction, where database vendors have chosen DbVisualizer over proprietary tools as their own preferred database tool, typically after joint optimization efforts. Among these vendors are Swedish Mimer Information Technology, [7] German Exasol[8] and US-base Vertica.[9][10] [11]

DbVisualizer is frequently used in system and project to visualize data in specialized, project specific databases. One such example is Delft-FEWS, a flood early warning system from University of Delft, Holland, that has gained global acceptance. In these cases, it is common to publish specific instructions for how to use DbVisualizer with the research tool.

DbVisualizer has over two decades of operation spread to 135 countries with more than 22,500 customers for the Pro version (December 2020). Free users are not tracked, but the software has been downloaded more than 4.5 million times, also per December 2020.[12]

References

This article is modelled on the Swedish Wikipedia article about DbVisualizer