What is ChartDB used for?

ChartDB is a web-based database diagram editor that imports your schema with one query, lets you edit entity-relationship diagrams and exports SQL, with no account required. It is a good fit for documenting an existing database schema, planning migrations between database engines and explaining data models to a team.

Is ChartDB open source?

Yes. ChartDB is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at chartdb/chartdb and is written mainly in TypeScript.

Yes. ChartDB is open source, so the software itself is free to use. A managed cloud version is also available, with paid plans from $25 per seat per month.

Can I self-host ChartDB?

Yes. ChartDB can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is ChartDB an alternative to?

ChartDB is an open-source alternative to dbdiagram.io, DrawSQL, DbSchema and erwin Data Modeler. Other open-source alternatives to dbdiagram.io include drawDB and Liam ERD.

Is ChartDB actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to ChartDB was on 13 September 2026, and the latest release is v1.20.1, published on 7 April 2026. The project has 23k stars on GitHub.

ChartDB: open-source alternative to dbdiagram.io, DrawSQL

About ChartDB

ChartDB is an open-source database diagramming editor that runs in the browser. Its signature feature is a Smart Query: you run one query against your database, paste the resulting JSON schema into ChartDB, and your tables and relationships are visualized instantly, with no installation and no database password shared with the tool.

From there you can edit the diagram interactively and export it, and an AI-powered export generates DDL scripts in the SQL dialect of your choice, which helps when moving between engines, such as MySQL to PostgreSQL or SQLite to MariaDB. The diagrams are useful for documentation, team discussions and understanding an unfamiliar database. Topics show support for MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, SQL Server and MariaDB, and the app is built with React and TypeScript.

ChartDB is AGPL-3.0 licensed. You can use the hosted editor at chartdb.io, which works without an account, or self-host the open-source code. It suits developers, data engineers and students who need quick schema visualizations and migration scripts without setting up heavy modeling software.

Key features

One-query schema import as JSON
Interactive ER diagram editing
AI-assisted DDL export across SQL dialects
No installation or database password required
Supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite and SQL Server
No account needed

Good fit for

→Documenting an existing database schema
→Planning migrations between database engines
→Explaining data models to a team

Built with: TypeScript; MySQL; PostgreSQL; React; SQLite
Tags: database-diagrams; erd; schema; sql; react; migration; database-design; ai; self-hosted

ChartDB: questions and answers

What is ChartDB used for?: ChartDB is a web-based database diagram editor that imports your schema with one query, lets you edit entity-relationship diagrams and exports SQL, with no account required. It is a good fit for documenting an existing database schema, planning migrations between database engines and explaining data models to a team.
Is ChartDB open source?: Yes. ChartDB is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at chartdb/chartdb and is written mainly in TypeScript.
Is ChartDB free?: Yes. ChartDB is open source, so the software itself is free to use. A managed cloud version is also available, with paid plans from $25 per seat per month.
Can I self-host ChartDB?: Yes. ChartDB can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is ChartDB an alternative to?: ChartDB is an open-source alternative to dbdiagram.io, DrawSQL, DbSchema and erwin Data Modeler. Other open-source alternatives to dbdiagram.io include drawDB and Liam ERD.
Is ChartDB actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to ChartDB was on 13 September 2026, and the latest release is v1.20.1, published on 7 April 2026. The project has 23k stars on GitHub.