Query Any Database Free with DBeaver in 10 Minutes

// Before you start

What you need

A Windows, Mac, or Linux computer
The name and credentials for a database you want to connect to (host, port, username, password)
About 400 MB of free disk space
Admin rights to install software on your machine

Step 1 of 5

Download the DBeaver installer for your OS

2 min

Go to the official DBeaver releases page and grab the installer that matches your operating system. The Community Edition is completely free. Java is bundled inside — you do not need to install it separately.

Terminal · mac

$ https://dbeaver.io/download/

What you should see

A file downloads: something like dbeaver-ce-24.x.x-x86_64-setup.exe (Windows), dbeaver-ce-24.x.x-macos-installer.pkg (Mac), or dbeaver-ce_24.x.x_amd64.deb (Linux).

This might happen

You see a PRO version upsell on the page

Scroll down to the 'Community Edition' section or go directly to github.com/dbeaver/dbeaver/releases and download the file labelled 'dbeaver-ce-...'.

Step 2 of 5

Install DBeaver on your machine

3 min

Run the installer you just downloaded. On Windows, double-click the .exe and click Next through the wizard. On Mac, open the .pkg and follow the prompts. On Ubuntu/Debian Linux, run the command below in your terminal. Accept all defaults — no custom settings are needed.

Terminal · mac

$ sudo dpkg -i dbeaver-ce_*.deb

What you should see

On Windows/Mac: DBeaver appears in your applications list. On Linux: the terminal prints 'Setting up dbeaver-ce' with no errors.

This might happen

Linux shows a dependency error during install

Run 'sudo apt-get install -f' after the dpkg command to auto-fix missing dependencies, then try again.

Step 3 of 5

Launch DBeaver and skip the sample database prompt

1 min

Open DBeaver from your applications menu or desktop shortcut. On first launch it will ask if you want to create a sample SQLite database. You can click Yes to explore with dummy data, or No if you want to jump straight to your real database. Either choice is fine.

Terminal · mac

$ Open DBeaver from your Start Menu, Applications folder, or by typing 'dbeaver' in your terminal.

What you should see

The DBeaver window opens showing a welcome screen and a 'Database Navigator' panel on the left.

This might happen

DBeaver takes 30-60 seconds to open the first time

This is normal — it is loading its plugin system. Subsequent launches are faster.

Step 4 of 5

Create a new database connection

3 min

Click the plug icon in the top-left toolbar (or go to Database > New Database Connection). A dialog appears showing all supported databases. Click your database type — for example PostgreSQL, MySQL, or SQLite. Fill in the Host, Port, Database name, Username, and Password fields using your credentials. For SQLite, you just browse to the .db file on your computer instead.

Terminal · mac

$ In DBeaver: click the plug icon (top-left) → select your database type → fill in connection details → click 'Test Connection'.

What you should see

A green 'Connected' message appears in the Test Connection dialog. Click OK, then Finish.

This might happen

'Test Connection' fails with a driver download prompt

DBeaver will offer to download the required JDBC driver automatically — click Download. This needs an internet connection and takes about 30 seconds.

Step 5 of 5

Browse your database and run a SQL query

3 min

Your new connection appears in the Database Navigator on the left. Expand it by clicking the arrow to see schemas and tables. Double-click any table to open a visual data grid — no SQL needed. To write SQL manually, right-click your connection and choose 'Open SQL Script'. Type your query in the editor that opens, then press Ctrl+Enter (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Enter (Mac) to run it.

Terminal · mac

$ SELECT * FROM your_table_name LIMIT 100;

What you should see

A results grid appears below the editor showing rows from your table.

This might happen

You get a 'table not found' error

Make sure you selected the correct schema first. In the Database Navigator, expand your connection → expand the schema that contains your table, then try again.

// Status

cooked. baked. worked.

A running DBeaver desktop app connected to your database, with a visual table browser, a working SQL editor, and the ability to export data to CSV or Excel — all for free.

// the honest bit

The honest part

DBeaver Community Edition is genuinely free and covers most SQL databases. However, NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Redis, Cassandra, DynamoDB, etc.) require the paid PRO version. If your database is behind a corporate firewall, you may need IT help to configure SSH tunnelling or proxy settings inside DBeaver's connection dialog. DBeaver is a desktop app — it runs only on your local machine, not in a browser. For browser-based access, the separate CloudBeaver product exists but requires a server to host.