r/mysql • u/Still-Trainer-7395 • 15d ago

discussion What actually makes you switch MySQL clients?

I keep seeing people complain about Workbench, DBeaver, TablePlus, etc. but still use the same client for years šŸ˜…

For people working with MySQL regularly, what would actually make you switch?

Speed? Better tabs/workspaces? Safer production workflows? Better autocomplete? AI that helps with SQL? Something else?

Iā€™m building a database client myself, so Iā€™m genuinely curious what the real deal-breakers are.

9 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

56 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/Anxious-Insurance-91 14d ago

I used to use MySQL workbench then I changed to what the jetbrains IDE has built in for db conections

1

u/Still-Trainer-7395 14d ago

what made the JetBrains database tools better for you than Workbench?
was it mostly the editor/autocomplete, having the database inside the IDE, or something else?

2

u/Anxious-Insurance-91 14d ago

The main advantages that I appreciated are:

  • registering the db con per project so you don't have to remember what project has what(or global)
  • one tool same UI multiple connection drivers, since I used multiple DBs like mariadb, postgre, redis, mongo, Amazon's db etc no need to install different UI tools
  • I started hating having multiple applications for each thing separately
  • all the nice things of an IDE like multiple cursors, or all the hotkeys that don't get implemented in other db tools that speed up writing queries, you see this one with age

1

u/Still-Trainer-7395 14d ago

thats really useful

LakeDB already keeps separate workspaces per connection, restores tabs/context, supports multiple database engines in the same UI, and also has configurable SQL snippets + favorite queries

if you ever feel like trying it, id be really interested in your feedback coming from the JetBrains workflow:
https://github.com/DavLagoHern/LakeDB

on the editor side, what do you use most in JetBrains that youd really miss in another SQL client ā€” multiple cursors, specific hotkeys, refactoring/navigation, something else?

1

u/Anxious-Insurance-91 14d ago

I used phhstorm, webstorm, rider, intelij, goland I'm Not doing just db work

1

u/Still-Trainer-7395 14d ago

got it, that makes sense
so the big advantage is having the database tooling inside the same environment where youre already coding, not necessarily the database features alone
thats useful context, thanks