How do I self-host Azimutt on my own server?

You can self-host Azimutt using Docker, with detailed guides for deployment on Heroku or Kubernetes. Setup involves configuring environment variables and storage, as outlined in the README's installation section.

Azimutt vs dbdiagram.io for database diagrams?

Azimutt offers integrated features like data querying and analysis, making it better for complex, real-world databases. In contrast, dbdiagram.io is simpler and more focused on basic diagramming, so choose based on depth of exploration needed.

Can Azimutt connect to live databases or only SQL files?

Azimutt primarily loads from SQL files via URL parameters, as shown in the badge examples. The README doesn't specify direct live database connections, so it's more file-based for schema exploration.

How to query data using foreign keys in Azimutt?

You can navigate data by following foreign key relationships visually within the diagram, allowing traversal between tables and displaying entities directly. This is part of the querying features described in the README.

Does Azimutt support collaboration with team members?

Azimutt includes documentation features like notes and layouts for team contexts, but the README doesn't explicitly mention real-time collaboration. Self-hosting may enable team use, but it's not designed for simultaneous editing.

What databases does Azimutt support beyond PostgreSQL?

Azimutt supports various databases including MySQL, SQLite, MongoDB, and others, as indicated by the badge examples. It uses SQL files for schema loading, so compatibility depends on the SQL dialect or structure.

Open-Awesome

Azimutt

MITElmSelf-Hosted

A full-stack database exploration tool for designing, exploring, documenting, and analyzing any database schema and data.

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2.2k stars141 forks0 contributors

What is Azimutt?

Azimutt is a full-stack database exploration tool that allows developers to design, explore, document, and analyze database schemas and data. It addresses the limitations of traditional ERD tools by handling large, complex databases and integrating visual exploration with querying and documentation features.

Target Audience

Database administrators, backend developers, and data engineers who work with relational or NoSQL databases and need to understand, document, or optimize complex schemas.

Value Proposition

Azimutt offers a unified visual interface that combines ERD diagramming, schema exploration, data querying, and documentation, specifically designed for real-world, messy databases where other tools fall short.

Overview

Explore, document and optimize any database

Use Cases

Best For

Exploring and visualizing large database schemas with hundreds of tables
Documenting database structures with notes, tags, and organized layouts
Analyzing databases to identify inconsistencies and optimization opportunities
Designing new database schemas using a fast, visual diagramming tool
Navigating and querying data while following foreign key relationships visually
Self-hosting a database exploration tool for team collaboration

Not Ideal For

Teams requiring deep data governance and lineage tracking features
Developers working with small, static databases where simple ERD tools suffice
Projects needing extensive offline database exploration without internet access
Organizations that prefer tools with built-in version control for schema changes

Pros & Cons

Pros

Fast Diagramming with AML

Uses the Azimutt Modeling Language for rapid schema design, enabling quick diagram creation without manual drawing, as highlighted in the features.

Intelligent Schema Exploration

Offers search across the entire schema, filters for tables and columns, and visual relationship following, ideal for handling large, messy databases.

Integrated Data Querying

Allows data navigation with foreign key traversal and displays entities within diagrams, blending schema and data exploration seamlessly.

Comprehensive Documentation

Supports adding notes and tags to tables and columns, plus organizing layouts and memos for specific use cases or team contexts.

Database Analysis Tools

Identifies inconsistencies and suggests best practices to optimize database structure, going beyond traditional ERD capabilities.

Cons

Complex Self-Hosting Setup

Self-hosting requires Docker, Heroku, or Kubernetes deployment with configuration steps like setting environment variables and storage buckets, which can be cumbersome.

Learning Curve for AML

The proprietary Azimutt Modeling Language may require time to learn compared to standard SQL or other diagramming tools, adding initial overhead.

Limited Data Governance

As admitted in the README, it lacks the deep data governance and lineage tracking features found in specialized data catalogs.

Web-Based Dependency

Primarily a web application; the hosted version requires internet access, and offline use is not explicitly supported, limiting flexibility in some environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

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