I am currently playing around with the latest version and like MySql Workbench. It is a great tool to quickly set up a new schema, manage relations and updating the underlying database.
In combination with Gii I was able to rapidly set up my business classes.
However sometime workbench crashes (Windows 7, 64 Bit), thus saving often is recommended.
Workbench is not providing a real migration tool at the moment, but is planned in one of the next releases.
For a freeware software you get a good value.
Thank you guys for your comments on the other tools, will check them out, too.
Well, first I had so much trouble to install it on Debian Squeze 64bit, and once I installed it I am disappointed.
I also tried Navicat but they do not have native Linux distribution, but Windows distribution that should be run via Vine, which is slow, crash from time to time.
So, far, I am using phpmyadmin and mysql cli client most of time.
I am constantly using MySQL WB on Fedora, (K)Ubuntu and Windows 7. I am under the impression it tends to crash on Ubuntu more likely. Especially when synchronizing models with existing databases and/or scripts. Apart from that: Absolutely love it for designing purposes.
Using it for building databases in graphical representation - works quite fine. Some times it can crash, but mostly does work. Kind’a slow on UI responce and can definetly be faster, but I’m not using it for data management at all - console is my best friend.
Every data management util I have used hangs all the time on selects, data manipulation and their editors are just real crap to work with - PHPStorm even does much better job at editing SQL queries.
As a design and structure sync tool - good. DB and model sync has some issues, like it generates ALTER TABLE in some cases when there is no change at all, because it generates SQL statment in one order and MySQL shows on SHOW CREATE TABLE options in different order. And it generates drop and create foreign keys all the time for many tables in my DB - is that order issues or what - but I have to strip them out all the time. And it definetly fails on table creation order when foreign keys are involved.
Could be that I didn’t set it up properly - didn’t have time to dig in deeply.
Mixed feelings so, but does the job I need and is free. I do not know good enoght free tool like Workbench.
MySQL Workbench is rubbish, it takes ages to do something very simple. I still use MySQL Query Browser, which lets me do what I need to do, though it can be a bit annoying. All they had to do is update MySQL Query Browser but instead they’ve discontinued it and bought out the pile of crap that is MySQL Workbench.
o It is slow; nothing wrong with my system (Windows XP SP3, 4GB RAM, loads of disk space, etc…), everything else runs fine.
o The GUI is not as customisable as it needs to be; simple things such as icon view and list / detail views for tables are missing.
o The layout is not intuitive at all; it looks like everything good that went before has been thrown away, and all the poor designs used.
o It does not seem to like remembering passwords; sorts of defeat the purpose of entering them in the first place!
I’m used to using MySQL Query Browser, and various other tools depending on the database of the moment, and Workbench is the poorest by far, in all departments.
At least Python partly in external components. Earlier versions including its DbDesigner predecessor were written in C++ and I think this is still the case.
Hm, I’m using mysql workbench on Opensuse 11.4 (version 5.2.31), mostly for db scheme creation, and it works just fine. I’m surprised to see so many disappointed people here .
Just use "Edit scheme" section (right click on scheme tab-name)
I’ve been recently working on some complex EER diagrams in MySQL WB, and it showed up, that they export to MySQL just fine. You’ll get used to GUI very quickly.
Use workbench on OSX for the diagrams only. Pretty stable and only has problems if I put my machine to sleep and the connection to MySQL goes dead. Other than that it’s been stable.
I use sequel pro that was posted on the first page and is just as stable as workbench.
I just don’t like that workbench involves lots of clicking to build a diagram from tables that already exists. Maybe, I don’t have it configured to auto-generate or something
Overall, very happy with both of the products and that they are free!
I use MySQL Workbench since the first 5.2.x release, I like it, no major issues on a Windows 7 x64 laptop (Core i5 Sandy Bridge, 4 GB of RAM, Intel SSD).
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