drawDB vs SchemaCrawler

drawDB is a browser-based database diagram editor for modeling schemas, importing existing definitions and exporting SQL. It supports Generic, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB, Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle diagrams. Imports include drawDB JSON and DDB files, DBML, and SQL scripts for the listed database systems; exports include SQL, image and document formats, drawDB JSON, DBML, Mermaid and Markdown. The free plan is listed at free and includes local diagrams, SQL dialects, and import and export. In the open-source editor, diagrams and custom templates live in browser IndexedDB, tying them to that browser profile. The maker says it can also be self-hosted with Docker. Pro options add cloud storage and sync, public sharing, AI assistance and version history; team options include workspaces, roles, diagram permissions and live collaboration. The AI assistant can create or edit schema elements from prompts, while the MCP server provides read-only access for compatible coding tools to schemas in Pro cloud workspaces. Schema context is sent to the AI service when it operates on a diagram.

SchemaCrawler is free, open-source software for discovering database schemas, documenting them, and supporting data governance. Its command-line tools output metadata as plain text, HTML5, HTML5 with embedded diagrams, JSON, or YAML. These formats are intended to make differences between database schemas easier to identify. SchemaCrawler can generate entity-relationship diagrams and execute JavaScript or Python against a live database connection. It supports almost any database with a JDBC driver, although some proprietary drivers require separate downloads. Integrations documented by the project include Apache Maven, GitHub Actions, GitLab pipelines, Docker, Graphviz, and several templating engines. The AI MCP Server allows natural-language exploration of database structures, table relationships, and SQL query generation. SchemaCrawler runs on operating systems supporting Java SE 17 or newer and can be self-hosted. The software is free; bundled JDBC-driver distributions are GPL v3, and commercial-use licensing terms can be arranged.