Getting Started with DBeaver: Installation, Connecting to Databases, and Generating ER Diagrams

DBeaver is a free, open‑source, Java‑based universal database management and development tool released under the ASL license, available for Windows, Linux, macOS and other operating systems.

It runs on the Eclipse framework, supports plugins, and offers features such as ER diagrams, data import/export, database comparison, and mock data generation.

Through JDBC, DBeaver connects to a wide range of databases including MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, SQLite, Oracle, DB2, SQL Server, Sybase, MS Access, Teradata, Firebird, Derby, and, in the commercial edition, NoSQL and big‑data platforms like MongoDB, InfluxDB, Cassandra, Redis, and Hive.

Download and Installation

The Community Edition can be downloaded from the official website or GitHub, offering installer or portable packages for each OS and optional JRE bundling; an Eclipse plugin is also available.

After installation (requiring a JRE), launching dbeaver.exe on Windows shows the connection wizard; you can skip creating a sample database or accept it to get a default SQLite example.

Connecting to a Database

Use the menu Database → New Connection to open the wizard, select the desired DBMS (e.g., PostgreSQL), and provide host, port, database name, user, and password; advanced settings allow SSH, SSL, and proxy configuration.

Click “Test Connection” to verify settings; DBeaver will automatically download the required JDBC driver. For drivers that require manual download (e.g., Oracle), use Database → Driver Manager to add the driver JAR file.

Once configured, the new connection appears in the left‑hand navigation pane, enabling object browsing, SQL execution, and other management tasks.

Generating ER Diagrams

Open the “Projects” view beside the database navigator, locate the “ER Diagrams” node, right‑click and choose “Create New ER Diagram”. Provide a name, select the connection and objects to include, then finish to generate the diagram, which can be formatted, printed, or exported as an image.

Additional Resources

Official website: https://dbeaver.io/

GitHub repository: https://github.com/dbeaver/dbeaver/

User guide: https://github.com/dbeaver/dbeaver/wiki