PostgreSQL is a powerful, well-known RDBMS (relational Database Management system). PostgreSQL is adaptable as it is a more reliable, secure, and popular database system that allows for SQL data querying. PostgreSQL operations can be carried out using the GUI tools as well as the command line. The logic behind GUI and command line tools is the same (as the data is manipulated using SQL queries in both cases) but GUI tools are easier to interact with. A powerful GUI for PostgreSQL makes the DB user’s life easier both or either as a DBA or a application developer writing queries. A good tool allows some amount of monitoring and visualization of the environment as well assistance editing and forming syntax for queries. Advanced tools have many more innovative features to help users with PostgreSQL.
Keeping in view the importance of GUI, this post provides a list of some well-known state-of-the-art GUI tools for PostgreSQL operations. The following GUI tools will be described in this blog:
Let us explore all the above-mentioned tools one by one.
pgAdmin
pgAdmin is the most common, and well-liked open-source PostgreSQL GUI client tool. It is mainly used as an administration and development platform for PostgreSQL. It is rich in features such as good visualization of query results, maintaining and easily manipulating data, and many more. It can be utilized on Linux, Unix, macOS, and Windows operating systems.
Features of the pgAdmin
The pgAdmin GUI tool’s basic features are as follows:
- Easier to install and manage data in a good way
- It provides the Autocomplete capability in Query Tool
- Advance visualization of queries results in Stacked Line, Pie chart, Bar, and Stacked Bar.
- Allow users to make a search within the file or storage
- The latest version has the capability to deploy the PostgreSQL server on the EDB cloud
Pros of pgAdmin
- pgAdmin provides advanced visualization features that help users to solve or view queries using pie charts, stacked bar, and bar charts.
- Both the server and local workstation can be used to execute pgAdmin. This implies that users can access distributed databases anywhere.
- The dashboard view is an amazing feature because it allows users to easily view information about database activity and visualizations of server load.
Cons of pgAdmin
- Particularly when interacting with database queries, the user interface can be slow.
- It is a web based tool, more than a client desktop/laptop tool
DBeaver
DBeaver is a freely available Universal GUI-based Database Tool for analysts, and database administrators, and developers. Supports all well-liked databases such as MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, Oracle, and MS Access, including PostgreSQL. It provides ease to users as we can manipulate and maintain and export data easily.
Features of the DBeaver
Following are the basic features of the DBeaver GUI tool:
- Carefully designed and easy to connect with the PostgreSQL database
- It permits Cloud data sources
- It can work with multiple extension
- Multiplatform support
- It supports a powerful SQL-editor
 Pros of DBeaver
- DBeaver is a multi-platform database tool that can be integrated with databases like Oracle, MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and more.
- It does Text-based search and can display search results as tables and in several other data views
- Provide Desktop applications that can make connections easily with other databases.
Cons of DBeaver
- Requires too many updates that make it unstable
- It is slower when working with larger data
DataGrip
DataGrip is a subscription-based GUI database tool. It is used to create and maintain and manipulate databases and apply queries to them. It can work on the server as well as locally. Windows, Linux, and macOS support Data Grip. It gives support to many databases such as PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and so on. DataGrip provides automating routine tasks, fixes errors, gets support from IDE, and increases the productivity of the PostgreSQL database.
Features of DataGrip
Here are some DataGrip features:
- It creates, manages, and manipulates databases
- It supports task automation and debugs errors.
- It provides version control integration
- Refactoring’s work in SQL files and schemas
Pros of DataGrip
- We are well aware it is the most powerful editor and viewer
- Only one command is needed to install it, and finding errors in your code effectively also offers the best solutions to resolve it
- Get support from IDE with capabilities like version control systems
Cons of DataGrip
- It is not free of cost. DataGrip requires payment to use.
- Small teams with just a few Postgres DBs should use it. Not a good choice for large organizations.
Navicat
Navicat is a powerful well known GUI database tool. It supports numerous databases, including MongoDB, MySQL, SQL Server, MariaDB, Oracle, SQLite, and PostgreSQL. It is a straightforward and more team-oriented tool for developers to create and maintain PostgreSQL databases. It is a paid-for tool that is supported by Windows, mac, IOS, and Linux operating systems.
Features of Navicat
Check out the given list of Navicat GUI tool features:
- Real-time remote collaboration tool
- Simple and effective SQL development tool
- Increase Productivity as it provides new methods for creating, maintaining, and managing your data.
- Easily transform data into useful insights.
- Visually manipulate database elements with diagrams.
Pros of Navicat
- Easy to install as it required few commands.
- It is more collaborative and makes the connection with the data sources easily
- It is good in data modeling and enables visual manipulation of database elements
Cons of Navicat
- It is also a paid tool
- Only the Enterprise plan includes the Data Modeling Tools
OmniDB
OmniDB is an open-source, interactive, collaborative lightweight tool for database management. It is a Web-based solution that is available across all platforms. It supports PostgreSQL, Oracle, MariaDB, MySQL, SQL Server, and SQLite databases. OmniDB has a user-friendly, quick-responding interface that enables users to manage many databases in a single workspace.
Features of OmniDB
The OmniDB GUI tool’s primary features are as follows:
- Interactive, simple-to-use UI
- It is a Modern SQL editor with customizable color schemes
- Open source and easy to install
- Unified, centralized workspace for handling many technologies
- It enables plugins through which the programmers can enhance the features of the PostgreSQL GUI.
Pros of OmniDB
- It provides excellent SQL editing using SQL editors and a very efficient user interface
- The user-friendly and lighted weighted tool that is effective in debugging.
Cons of OmniDB
- It is not as sophisticated as a DataGrip or Navicat.
- Not provide much information in documental, especially regarding tool use
DbVisualizer
DbVisualizer is an advanced database tool that works with most popular database engines including PostgreSQL, MySQL, MS SQLServer, Oracle, SQLite and many others. It provides features for DB Developers and System admins to manage and visualize the database environment, and to write SQL code and scripts with high developer productivity to accelerate the user workflow when working with databases. Advanced hooks and monitoring features allow users to see what is happening in the database. There is a free version and a pro version, the pro version can be purchased with our without user support from the vendor.
Features include:
- In built SQL editor
- Support for many DB Engines in addition to PostgreSQL
- Visual Query Builder
- In built data modeling views
- Explain plan visualization
- Database object export
- Scheduler for jobs and events
- Multi-tabs GUI
- Custom Key Bindings
- Create customized DB monitors
Pros:
- Same tool works with many DB Engines
- Runs locally on Windows, Linux and Mac
- Easy installation in seconds
- Comes with a sample database locally to learn fast
- Advanced SQL Editing Interface
- Organize your scripts in the tool
- Check the query history in the tool
- Supports many database-specific capabilities and object types
Cons:
- As a tool for multiple database may be missing some specialized PostgreSQL capabilities provided in a specialized tool for PostgreSQL
- Less DBA system monitoring functions than some PG tools
- The cost for advanced features may be too much for folks without a corporate budget
dbForge Studio for PostgreSQL
dbForge Studio for PostgreSQL is a fully-fledged IDE (integrated development environment) that helps develop and manage PostgreSQL and Amazon Redshift databases in the most effortless way. It is designed to let users streamline routine tasks and improve their overall effectiveness. Clean GUI, robust automation capabilities, elaborate data analysis and reporting tools, and plenty of other features make this solution favored by database experts.
The most essential features of dbForge Studio for PostgreSQL are as follows:
- A feature-rich toolset for database development, management, and administration jobs
- A neatly designed, user-friendly, and fast GUI with numerous customization options
- Support for all active PostgreSQL versions and major cloud platforms
- Report designer with templates, pivot tables, and charts
- Support for the command line to automate standard tasks
Pros of the Studio:
- Database schema and table data comparison and synchronization
- Advanced coding assistance module with auto-completion, syntax check, and formatting
- Data Generator to produce high-quality test data in any volume
- Smart optimization of query performance
- Data import and export supporting over 10 formats
Cons of the Studio:
- The free Express Edition of the Studio delivers only basic functionality; more advanced paid editions are offered with a free 30-day trial
- The Studio is focused on PostgreSQL and Redshift, and does not cover other popular database systems (Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, MariaDB, and Oracle Database); however, you can opt for a multidatabase solution called dbForge Edge that covers all of them
Conclusion
We have covered the best PostgreSQL GUI tools, users are free to select any of them according to their desire. There are multiple GUI tools available in 2022 that can be used to manage the PostgreSQL databases graphically. Here, we have filtered out a few of them including DBeaver, pgAdmin, DataGrip, Navicat, DBVisualizer and OmniDB GUI tools that support the PostgreSQL database system. These tools are used to manage, maintain and manipulate the PostgreSQL databases through an interactive Graphical User interface. For a better understanding, we have described the notable features of all the tools to decide which tool better fulfills your requirement.
