Sequel Pro: MySQL From the Desktop

Practically every website on the Internet these days utilizes some sort of database to store data. Whether it is user account information or private banking information, databases are everywhere. As a web developer, I have to interact with databases very often in the course of my day, so I found it much easier to use a Desktop Application that can be launched with one click rather than having to click through many links to get to a web browser based management system. There are a few great applications for the Mac to accomplish this, but I have found the best to be Sequel Pro.

Immediately on start up, you are greeted with a very simple interface that asks for only the basic information to connect to your server. After entering your information one time, you can add it as a favorite, for easy connecting later on.

Once you’re all connected, Sequel Pro offers powerful functionality to do whatever tasks you need. You can view all the tables in your database on the left, and as you click through them, you can view the structure of the table, the contents of the table, and of course run any queries you might need on the table.

Viewing the table structure is as simple as it can get. You can add, duplicate, and edit any information about a particular field within your table, just like a web-based management system.

Viewing your table’s content is one of the most powerful features of Sequel Pro. This app offers very robust searching of your table with many options for the search as you can see at the top of this screenshot:

Using Sequel Pro, you can run as many queries on your database as you need to, without a hitch. Sequel Pro also by default, saves your last 20 queries. This number can be increased or decreased depending on your settings. Sequel Pro also has a great feature called Query Favorites, in which you can save your most used queries to use them quickly.

Despite all of these great features within the app itself, I believe the greatest feature is that it is completely free! If you work with databases at all, I highly recommend you download this great app to simplify your life!