Fix MySQL 8 Crashes in Sequel Pro and Master Its macOS Features

Software Overview

Sequel Pro is an open‑source MySQL client for macOS. The main connection window shows a list of saved connection configurations on the left; selecting one displays its details on the right. New connections are added in the same pane. Double‑clicking a connection opens the database operation view.

In the operation view you can:

Select an existing database or create a new one.

Browse tables, view and edit table structure, add fields, indexes, or rows.

View table data (default 1000 rows) and run arbitrary SQL with the shortcut ⌘+R.

The Structure tab provides buttons to add fields, rows, tables, indexes and a funnel icon to filter data.

Secure SSH‑Based Connections

Sequel Pro supports SSH tunneling. In the connection dialog you can specify an SSH host, username, and a private‑key file. The client establishes an encrypted tunnel to the remote MySQL server, so only machines with the matching public key on the server can connect. Alternatively, you can create a manual SSH tunnel, for example: ssh -L 3306:127.0.0.1:3306 user@host Then configure Sequel Pro to connect to 127.0.0.1 on the local forwarded port.

Version Management and Crash Fix

The last stable release (1.1.2) is no longer maintained and crashes on macOS when closing the application or when connecting to MySQL 8.

Solution 1 – Build from source

Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/sequelpro/sequelpro.git Open the Xcode project in the cloned directory and build the target “Sequel Pro”.

Ensure the macOS keychain contains the required code‑signing certificates; otherwise the built binary may fail to launch.

Note: The author encountered key‑chain related errors and could not obtain a working binary.

Solution 2 – Use the latest test build

Download the most recent test build from https://sequelpro.com/test-builds

Install the .dmg package; the test version behaves like the official release but includes the fix for MySQL 8 crashes.

If the download is slow or blocked, alternative mirrors may be used.

Conclusion

After applying the test‑build fix, Sequel Pro provides a lightweight, native macOS interface for MySQL with SSH tunneling, schema editing, and query execution capabilities.