SQLlyMariaDB GUI for Mac, Windows and Linux
MariaDB speaks the MySQL protocol, but it is not MySQL. SQLly treats it as its own engine: its own plan format, its own activity and account queries, and a dialect that knows about RETURNING and sequences.
- Connects over
- The MySQL wire protocol
- Default port
- 3306
- Sign-in
- Password, AWS RDS IAM, or Google Cloud SQL IAM
- Paste a URL
- mariadb://user@host:3306/database
What SQLly does for MariaDB
MariaDB and MySQL share a wire protocol and a lot of history, but their plan formats, system views and SQL have drifted apart. SQLly keeps them apart too, so MariaDB features are not flattened into “MySQL, roughly”.
MariaDB’s own plan format
Actual plans use MariaDB’s ANALYZE FORMAT=JSON - not MySQL’s EXPLAIN ANALYZE - so the runtime row counts and timings MariaDB reports come through. Estimated plans use EXPLAIN FORMAT=JSON without running the query.
A dialect that knows MariaDB
SQLly’s engine profile for MariaDB knows it adds sequences and RETURNING on top of MySQL, alongside backtick quoting, LIMIT and ON DUPLICATE KEY upserts - so generated SQL fits the server you are on.
Activity and dashboard queries of its own
Activity Monitor and Server Dashboard use MariaDB-specific queries rather than MySQL’s, and Query Insights reads the Performance Schema for your heaviest statements.
Activity Monitor βAccounts and privileges
The Security tool edits MariaDB 'user'@'host' accounts, passwords and locks, and global, database and table privileges - every change shown as SQL first, and blocked on a locked production connection.
Executable comments, scanned
MariaDB runs /*M! β¦ */ and /*! β¦ */ comments on the server, so a read-only connection scans inside them for LOAD_FILE, OUTFILE, LOAD DATA and friends instead of treating them as inert text.
Statistics on every run
Include Statistics snapshots MariaDB’s session handler counters before and after a query, and manual commit mode pins a connection to the tab so you decide when to COMMIT.
Connect to MariaDB
- Download SQLly for macOS, Windows or Linux from the download page and open it.
- Create a connection and choose MariaDB - not MySQL - so plans, activity and account tools use MariaDB’s own queries.
- Enter host, port (3306), database, user and password, or paste a
mariadb://URL and let SQLly fill in the form. The password goes to your OS keychain. - Pick an encryption mode - Disable, Require, Verify CA or Verify full - with an optional CA file and client certificate.
- Test, save and connect, through an SSH tunnel, proxy or Kubernetes port-forward if the server is not directly reachable.
Every SQLly tool on MariaDB
This is the same engine matrix the app uses to enable or disable its menus, so what you read here is what you get. Where a tool doesn’t apply to MariaDB, the app says why - and so do we.
| Tool | MariaDB |
|---|---|
| Explorer, IntelliSense and hover cards | Yes |
| Edit rows in the results grid | Yes |
| Estimated execution plans | Yes EXPLAIN FORMAT=JSON. |
| Actual (executed) plans | Yes ANALYZE FORMAT=JSON. |
| Activity Monitor | Yes |
| Query Insights | Yes Performance Schema. |
| Server Dashboard | Yes |
| Disk Usage and Object Browser | Yes |
| Maintenance menu | Yes ANALYZE, OPTIMIZE and CHECK TABLE. |
| Schema Compare and Schema History | Yes |
| Data Compare | Yes |
| Data Transfer | Yes |
| Test Data Generator | Yes |
| Table Structure Editor | Yes |
| Index Analyzer | Yes |
| Security editor (users, roles, grants) | Yes Accounts and privileges. |
| Backup / Restore | Yes Drives mysqldump and mysql when installed. |
| Create and drop database dialogs | Yes |
| SSH tunnels, proxies and Kubernetes port-forward | Yes |
| Read-only connections | Yes |
| Auto-rollback safety wrap | Yes Implicitly committing DDL is refused. |
| Procedure Mode | No Procedure deployment commits immediately and cannot be rolled back. |
| SQL Agent, Extended Events and guided designers | No SQL Server and Azure SQL only. |
Questions about MariaDB in SQLly
Does SQLly treat MariaDB as just another MySQL?
No. MariaDB is its own choice in the connection editor. It shares the MySQL network driver, but SQLly uses MariaDB's own ANALYZE FORMAT=JSON for actual plans, MariaDB-specific activity and account queries, and a dialect that knows MariaDB adds sequences and RETURNING.
Can I manage MariaDB users and privileges in SQLly?
Yes. The Security tool edits MariaDB accounts ('user'@'host'), passwords, locks, and global, database and table privileges. Every change is shown as the exact SQL before you apply it, and applies respect the connection's read-only policy and production lock.
Can I paste a mariadb:// connection string?
Yes. Paste a mariadb:// or mysql:// URL, a JDBC string, or an ADO.NET-style string and SQLly fills in the engine, host, port, database, user and encryption options. Any password in the string goes straight to your operating system's secure store.
Read more
In the docs
Other databases
Bring your MariaDB home to the pig
SQLly is free to start on macOS, Windows and Linux, with no account required.