What is DB Browser for SQLite?
DB Browser for SQLite is a graphical front end for SQLite database files. You can create and compact a database, create, define, modify and delete tables and indexes, browse and edit records, import and export records as text or tables as CSV, import and export whole databases as SQL dumps, and issue SQL queries and inspect the results. It keeps a log of every SQL command the application issued, and can plot simple graphs from table or query data. It is free and open source under GPL-3.0.
Verified product facts
- Type
- database clientEditorially reviewed
- Platform
- macOS
- Pricing
- Open sourceDeveloper-stated
- Open source
- Yes
- Relationship to Nuanyue
- Third-party product — not published by NuanyueEditorially reviewed
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Current version
- 3.13.1Developer-stated
- Official website
- sqlitebrowser.org/
Last updated . Facts marked developer-stated come from the developer and are not independently confirmed; editorially reviewed marks a Nuanyue judgement.
Key features
What DB Browser for SQLite does at a glance.
Create and compact SQLite database files
Create, define, modify and delete tables and indexes
Browse, edit, add and delete records
Import and export tables
From and to CSV files
Import and export whole databases
From and to SQL dump files
Issue SQL queries and inspect the results
Examine a log of all SQL commands issued by the application
What you can use DB Browser for SQLite for
- Opening a SQLite file an app on the Mac has already created and reading its tables
- Exporting a table to CSV, editing it, and importing it back
Who is DB Browser for SQLite for?
- Developers who need to look inside a SQLite file rather than query it blind
- Anyone who wants the exact SQL behind a graphical change
Who is DB Browser for SQLite not for?
- Spreadsheet work — the project states it is not meant to replace a spreadsheet application
Strengths and trade-offs
What DB Browser for SQLite does well, and what to weigh before choosing it. Points marked developer-stated come from the developer’s own material and have not been independently confirmed.
Strengths
- Free and open source under GPL-3.0, with no account and no paid tier.
- Examines a log of all SQL commands issued by the application, so a graphical change can be traced to the SQL behind it.
- Imports and exports whole databases as SQL dump files, not just individual tables.
- Plots simple graphs based on table or query data, which is more than a plain record editor offers.
Trade-offs
- Deliberately leaves out convenience functions that would go beyond a simple database frontend, rather than implementing them badly.
- It handles SQLite files only — no Postgres, MySQL or other server databases.Editorially reviewed
- The project describes itself as a small team with limited time, so features are added slowly.Developer-stated
What it does
DB Browser for SQLite — DB4S in the project’s own shorthand — is a graphical front end for SQLite database files. The headline operations are the ones you need on a file an app has already produced: create and compact the database, create, define, modify and delete tables and indexes, browse and edit records, search them.
The import and export paths are unusually complete. Records go out as text; tables go out as CSV and come back the same way; and whole databases can be exported as SQL dump files and restored, which is what you want when a file is the unit of backup rather than a server.
Where it fits
The feature worth knowing about is the SQL log. The application keeps a record of every SQL command it issued, and you can read it. That turns the graphical interface from a black box into something inspectable: make the change in the window, then read the SQL it actually ran. For anyone learning SQLite, or debugging why a change did not do what was expected, this is the difference between a tool and a wrapper.
The project is explicit about what it is not. Even though DB4S has a spreadsheet-like interface, it is not meant to replace your spreadsheet application, and the maintainers deliberately leave out convenience functions that would only ever be a poor replacement for one. It also handles SQLite files only — for Postgres, MySQL or a hosted database, you need a client that speaks those engines.
Questions about DB Browser for SQLite
Is DB Browser for SQLite free?
Yes. It is free and open source under GPL-3.0.
Which databases can it open?
SQLite database files only — it is a front end for SQLite, not for server-based databases.Editorially reviewed
Can I export data to CSV?
Yes. You can import and export records as text, and import and export tables from and to CSV files.
Can I see the SQL behind a change?
Yes. The application keeps a log of all SQL commands it issued, and you can examine it.
Alternatives to DB Browser for SQLite
Apps that could replace this one — the same job, a different trade-off.
Base 2
Application for creating, designing, editing and browsing SQLite 3 database files.
Both create, design, edit and browse SQLite files on the Mac. Base 2 is a paid app; DB Browser for SQLite is free and open source.
SQLight
SQLite database manager tool.
Both are SQLite database managers for macOS. SQLPro Studio's family covers many database engines; DB Browser for SQLite covers SQLite only.
Bdash
Modern SQL client application, supports MySQL, PostgreSQL (Redshift) and BigQuery.
Both query databases from a desktop client. Bdash supports MySQL, PostgreSQL and other engines; DB Browser for SQLite is SQLite only and keeps a log of every SQL command issued.
Links
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the sources below. Last updated .
