Introduction to MYSQL Workbench
Mysql workbench is the visual and graphic tool that can be used for the development of the database, modeling, configuring, designing, creating, and maintaining the database including backup and restoration using interactive graphics. It is a sophisticated tool that can be used by the developers, architects, and administrators of the database. It is developed by Sun Systems/Oracle and is completely cross-platform and can be used on Operating systems like Mac Os x, Linux/Unix and windows.
The latest version of the workbench is 8.0.20. It supports the usage of Mysql with version 5.6 or greater. For the remaining 5.x MySQL versions it works but is deprived of certain functionalities while MySQL version4.x are not supported by MySQL workbench. In this article, we will discuss the features provided by the workbench and where they can be used, the installation of the workbench and its usage.
Features and Usage of MySQL Workbench
below are the features of MySQL Workbench:
Designing database
It provides us with lot many features that can be used for designing and modeling such as complex ER models can be created, reverse and forward engineering can be done and also the provision to change and document management can be done easily that can be used by the administrators, developers, and architects to design their database.
Development
The SQL queries can be created and optimized and then further executed using the visual tools provided by the MySQL workbench. Other features that help and make the task of query designing and execution simpler include autocompletion, highlighting of syntax using different colors, provision of execution history of queries, and reuse of snippets of SQL. Various database connections can be stored and managed by the connection panel for databases including MySQL fabric. The schema and objects of the database can be accessed instantly with the help of the object browser.
Administration
The visual console is provided in MySQL workbench that can be used by database administrators and developers to get a look at the entire database environment. Other tools that are available can prove helpful in server configuration, user administration, auditing the data for inspection, getting the look of the health of database and backup, and restoration of the data. All of this can be done by using visual tools.
Dashboard for performance analysis
The p[erformance of the database applications can be analyzed and improved by using the tool suite provided by the MySQL workbench. It helps to find out the IO hotspots and the queries and statements of SQL that will consume a lot of time and resources. The performance indicators can be viewed and analyzed using the performance dashboard of the workbench. Other points and places where the queries can be optimized are also suggested and explained visually in the workbench. All these features of workbench can be used o improve the performance of your database application. Most of the crux of application that involves database data retrieval and storage is based on query execution and its performance.
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Migration of data to and from the database
Workbench tool provides us with solutions and features that can be used to migrate the data from and to different platforms such as Sybase ASE, Microsoft Access, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and other objects, data, relational database’s tables to MySQL. The existing applications can be easily converted to work on any other platform such as Windows, Linux, etc by the Database administrators with the use of workbench. The data can also be migrated from the older version of MySQL to the newer version using the workbench.
Installation of Mysql Workbench
The latest version of workbench can be installed on your machine by using the following link:
https://downloads.mysql.com/archives/workbench/.
Step 1: You will need to select the version of the workbench that you want to install and the operating system that you are using and its version then click on the download option the executable file according to your machine will be downloaded. For example, as I am using the Ubuntu Linux operating system, I will choose my operating system and the latest version of workbench that is, for now, workbench 8.0.19. The Debian file will be downloaded as shown below:
Step 2: Further, after opening the Debian file, you will be navigated to the ubuntu software center if your operating system and then further you will need to click on install as shown below that will lead to the successful completion of the installation process of workbench.
Step 3: After installation, you will see the following window on the ubuntu center.
Step 4: You can search the dashboard for the Mysql workbench and then open the workbench application. This will open the following screen.
This is the welcome screen of the workbench application.
Advantages and Disadvantages of MySQL Workbench
Advantages and disadvantages of Mysql Workbench
Advantages
Below are the advantages:
- The user interface is very easy to use, user friendly, and intuitive.
- It is licensed under GPL and is free for downloading.
- Workbench is cross-platform supportive and can be used on different operating systems including Windows, Linux, and mac os.
- Schema and query formation and optimization can be done using graphical visualization tools.
- It contains all the features that are updated now and then with changes in the MySQL database server to make itself completely supportive to the MySQL database server.
- EveSQL has developed a plugin that can be used with a workbench that allows the optimization of the queries inside the IDE itself.
Disadvantages
Below are the disadvantages:
- The software sometimes crashes as per the report of some users and contains some bugs.
- The queries that involve usage and manipulation of a huge number of records can’t be stopped sometimes. In those times, you will have to forcefully kill the queries or if not possible kill the instance of the workbench application itself.
Conclusion
Mysql is free to download and it provides a lot many features that are incorporated considering the features of the MySQL database server itself. The database administrators, designers, and developers can make the use of this application for designing the database schema using ER diagrams, forward and reverse engineering, and query building including optimization of the queries. The performance dashboard can be used further to optimize your database application by looking at and analyzing the database environment.
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