Toad for MySQL

Introduction to Toad for MySQL

Mysql toad 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 Jim McDaniel also known as TOADman and is was named after using it for oracle database administration and is the short form of Tool for Oracle Application Developers(TOAD). Further advancement leads to the provision of SQL and PostgreSQL administration tool that works in the Windows and Mac operating system.

In this article, we will discuss the features provided by the toad and where they can be used, the installation of the toad and its usage.

Features and usage of MySQL toad

Let us discuss Features and usage of MySQL toad.

• 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 toad. 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 toad that can be used by database administrators and developers to get a look at the entire database environment. Other available tools 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.

• Integration with DevOps tools like Jenkins, Team Foundation, and Bamboo Server

All the operations related to developers ranging from database development, testing, and deployment can be incorporated in the DevOps workflow. This will help in regulating the activities and manage the work accordingly to meet the deadlines of the project that will cover the application as well as database development. Continuous integration providing delivery tools can be integrated with the toad tool. This helps in the development environment where many teams work on different projects and involve too many members involved in it. We can analyze the performance of the teams and the progress of the project.

• Migration of data to and from the database

toad 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 toad. The data can also be migrated from the older version of MySQL to the newer version using the toad.

• Installation od Mysql toad tool

The latest version of toad can be installed on your machine by using the following link –

https://www.toadworld.com/downloads. You will need to select the tool of the toad that you want to install in my case we will select a toad tool for MySQL.

Further, Choose whether you want to install the free trial with all the functionalities for a limited period of time like 30 days, or freeware with fewer functionalities.

Enter the mail details and agree on the policy terms and then click on the download option. Further, you will have to enter the details of your company and other location-related details. Finally, again click on download for the free trial button that will take you to the below page –

Finally, again click on download for the free trial button that will take you to the below page. Here, all the information related to the guideline about downloading and the link to download toad.

The latest version of Toad when the article was being written was 7.1. You will see the latest version download link. Just click on it and your .exe file will get downloaded. After double-clicking it you can simply install it as any other application.

Advantages of Mysql toad tool

• The user interface is very easy to use, user friendly, and intuitive.
• It provides the provision to integrate version control.
• toad is cross-platform supportive and can be used on different operating systems including Windows and mac os.
• Schema and query formation and optimization can be done quickly using graphical visualization tools and the multi-tabed schema browser functionality.
• Integration with DevOps tools like Jenkins, Team Foundation, and Bamboo Server.

Disadvantages of Mysql toad

• 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 toad application itself.
• It cannot work on any other operating system like Unix/Linux platforms.

Conclusion

Free trial is available to download and it provides a lot many features that are incorporated considering the features of the MySQL database server itself in the paid product. The database administrators, designers, and developers can make use of this application for designing the database schema using ER diagrams and query building including optimization of the queries. Further, Jenkins plugins can be used for continuous integration. Reports in HTML or JSON  can be used further to optimize your database application by looking at and analyzing the database environment.

This is a guide to Toad for MySQL. Here we discuss the introduction, Features, and usage of MySQL toad, advantages, disadvantages respectively. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more –

1. MySQL today()
2. MySQL INSERT IGNORE
3. MySQL Create Function
4. MySQL Split