Tabularis is a lightweight, developer-focused database management tool designed to provide efficient and aesthetic access to databases. Built for speed, security, and aesthetics, it supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite.
Key Features:
Multi-database Support: Connects to multiple databases including MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and SQLite.
Visual Query Builder: Drag-and-drop interface for building queries with visual JOINs and advanced logic.
SQL Editor: Features syntax highlighting, auto-completion, and a Monaco editor for seamless coding.
Plugin System: Extends functionality via plugins, supporting any database by adding new drivers.
ER Diagram: Interactive visualization of entity relationships for better schema understanding.
Speed & Security: Optimized performance with secure local persistence and optional password storage.
Audience & Benefit:
Ideal for developers and database administrators seeking a powerful yet lightweight tool. Tabularis enhances workflow efficiency, offering cross-platform support and modern technology integration for a superior user experience.
README
tabularis
Tabularis is an open-source desktop SQL workspace for PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, SQLite and 12+ more databases like DuckDB, ClickHouse, Redis and Firestore.
Its built-in MCP server lets Claude, Cursor and Devin (formerly Windsurf) read your schema and run queries in the same app you already use.
> Comparison as of June 2026; features in other tools may have changed since. If you need dozens of drivers, use DBeaver — tabularis focuses on doing a few databases well.
Database support
PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB and SQLite ship built in. Everything else is a plugin — current coverage (mirroring the driver & plugin coverage on the website):
Download the installer from the Releases page and run it:
tabularis_x.x.x_x64-setup.exe
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
macOS
Homebrew (Recommended)
To add our tap, run:
brew tap TabularisDB/tabularis
Then install:
brew install --cask tabularis
Direct Download
Builds from v0.13.1 onward are signed and notarized by Apple, so they open without any extra steps.
The notes below only apply to older releases (before v0.13.1) downloaded directly:
You need to allow accessibility access (Privacy & Security) to the tabularis app. If you are upgrading and already have tabularis on the allowed list, remove it manually before accessibility access can be granted to the new version.
You may need to run xattr -c /Applications/tabularis.app after copying the app to the Applications directory.
Tabularis checks for updates automatically on startup and notifies you when a new version is available. You can also download the latest version directly from the Releases page.
Discord
Join our Discord server to talk with the maintainers, share feedback, suggest features, or get help from the community.
Tabularis is hackable with an external plugin system. Plugins are standalone executables that communicate with the app over JSON-RPC 2.0 via stdin/stdout, and can be written in any language.
Install Plugins: Browse and install community drivers from Settings → Available Plugins — no restart required.
Manage Drivers: View all registered drivers (built-in and plugins) in Settings → Installed Drivers and uninstall plugins with one click.
Any Database: Add support for DuckDB, MongoDB, or any other database by writing or installing a plugin.
Configuration is stored in ~/.config/tabularis/ (Linux), ~/Library/Application Support/tabularis/ (macOS), or %APPDATA%\tabularis\ (Windows): connection profiles, saved queries, app settings (config.json), custom themes, and per-connection editor preferences — tabs and queries are restored when you reopen a connection. The wiki covers the full file layout and every config.json option, including custom AI model overrides.
Optional Text-to-SQL and query explanation powered by OpenAI, Anthropic, MiniMax, OpenRouter, Ollama (local models, no API key, full privacy), and any OpenAI-compatible API (Groq, Perplexity, Azure OpenAI, LocalAI, ...). Model lists are fetched from your provider and cached locally; custom models can be configured per provider.
Tabularis includes a built-in MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that lets AI agents read your database schema and execute queries directly from their chat interface.
tabularis --mcp
One-click setup for Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Windsurf: open Settings → MCP Server Integration, click Install Config next to your client, and restart it. Manual configuration is covered in the wiki.
Available tools
Once connected, your AI agent can:
Tool
Description
list_connections
List all saved database connections
list_tables
List tables in a connection (with optional schema filter)
describe_table
Get full schema: columns, indexes, foreign keys
run_query
Execute any SQL query and return results
Example prompts
> "Show me all tables in my production database and describe the orders table"
> "Write and run a query to find the top 10 customers by total order value this month"
> "Check if there are any missing indexes on the users table"
Tabularis started as an experiment: how far could AI-assisted development get in building a working tool from scratch? Further than expected — it's now an actively maintained project with regular releases and a plugin ecosystem.
License
Apache License 2.0
Like tabularis? Star the repo ⭐ — it helps the project a lot.
