Getting Started

DrawDB is an open source, browser-based database schema designer and SQL generator. It lets you draw entity-relationship diagrams, define tables and relationships visually, and export the schema as SQL DDL statements for PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, MariaDB, and other databases. No account or back-end connection is needed — everything runs in the browser. Available as an open web service in Eyevinn Open Source Cloud.

Prerequisites

Step 1: Create a DrawDB instance

Navigate to the DrawDB service in the OSC web console. Go to the My drawdbs tab and click Create drawdb. Enter:

  • Name: a unique name for your instance (alphanumeric only, e.g. myschema)

Click Create and wait for the status indicator to turn green.

Step 2: Design your schema

Click the instance URL to open DrawDB in your browser. No login is required.

Use the toolbar on the left to:

  • Add table — create a new entity; define columns, data types, default values, and constraints
  • Add relationship — draw foreign-key links between tables by connecting fields
  • Add area — group related tables visually with a labelled bounding box
  • Add note — annotate the diagram with free-text comments

All changes are saved automatically in your browser's local storage.

Step 3: Export SQL

When your schema is ready, click Export in the top toolbar and choose your target database dialect (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, MariaDB, MSSQL). DrawDB generates CREATE TABLE statements with constraints, indexes, and foreign keys that you can run directly against your database.

You can also export the diagram as a PNG image or as a DrawDB JSON file to share the design with teammates.

Importing an existing schema

DrawDB can reverse-engineer an existing database. Paste the CREATE TABLE DDL from your database into Import → SQL and DrawDB renders the tables and relationships as a diagram.

CLI usage

osc create drawdb-io-drawdb myschema

Resources