SQL Server Database Designer - Powerful SQL Database Creator & Modeling Tool

Database design is one of the most essential tasks for database developers and architects. Modern databases must store vast amounts of data and ensure proper data processing. As a result, they become complex, with many thousands of objects that must be linked correctly. The quality of the database structure directly impacts the efficiency of the entire database operation. Database designers, architects, and data analysts require appropriate tools to help them design adequate database schemas. Here, one of the most helpful means is visualization.

dbForge Studio for SQL Server features a powerful Database Designer that helps you create detailed data models of databases, complete with all the necessary physical database entities and storage parameters. The functionality of the Designer offers specific options for creating and editing databases on ER diagrams, designing tables, and building database relationships. Let us examine this tool.

Designing database structures

Database Diagram is the ultimate data modeling tool that allows you to visually build new databases and analyze the structures of the existing ones. You can easily design your databases at both logical and physical levels, as well as do the following:

  • Drag-and-drop database objects from Database Explorer to a diagram
  • Create and edit database objects on a diagram
  • Track logical relationships between tables
  • Export database diagrams as images
  • Print out large SQL database diagrams

SQL Database Designer: Designing database structures

Creating and editing databases

Database Editor is a database structure design tool that simplifies the database design process for specialists, allowing them to create and configure new SQL databases or quickly modify existing ones in a visual mode:

  • Add and modify database files
  • Manage filegroups
  • Configure database options
  • View the database DDL

SQL Database Designer: Creating and editing databases

Designing and managing database tables

Table Designer is a visual database design tool that helps you create and modify the structures of your tables, focusing on visual database modeling rather than coding.

  • Create and edit all kinds of database objects
  • Create and edit table storage properties
  • Edit table data
  • Navigate through the visual editor and T-SQL editor simultaneously

SQL Database Designer: Designing and managing database tables

Working with database relationships

With Database Designer for SQL Server, you can create many-to-many relationships between tables in databases quickly and effortlessly, without writing a single line of code.

  • Create and manage both physically existing foreign-key relationships and virtual relationships
  • Create junction tables
  • Create and view relationship comments

SQL Database Designer: Working with database relations

Grouping diagram shapes in containers

When you create a complex diagram with multiple shapes or a diagram with tables from different schemas, you may use containers to group your shapes. The option is available in this SQL Server database design tool.

You may also use containers to group and store specific types of database objects. All relationships between table shapes are maintained, regardless of their placement within containers.

SQL Database Designer: Grouping in containers

Adding notes, stamps, and images to your diagrams

Database Designer offers a range of additional elements for your diagrams, including notes, stamps, and images.

  • Add comments, explanations, and hyperlinks to any part of your diagram
  • Add stamps with basic info about a diagram
  • Add resizable images in all popular formats

SQL Database Designer: Notes, stamps, images

Reverse-engineering a SQL database

Reverse Engineering (also known as backward engineering or back engineering) is a diagrammatic representation based on structuring databases and building logical and physical relationships between SQL tables.

In dbForge Studio for SQL Server, you can reverse engineer SQL Server databases using this embedded SQL designer tool. Further, you can generate a database script with the help of the following features:

  • Generate Script Wizard
  • Create Scripts Folders

To generate a database script, in Database Explorer, right-click the database you want to reverse-engineer and select Tasks > Generate Scripts. In the wizard, you can customize the default scripts in the following way:

  • Configure script generation options
  • Choose to generate the database structure and data or groups of objects
  • Define the creation mode for the script
  • Set up errors processing behavior and logging

Reverse-engineering a SQL Database in the Generate Scripts Wizard


To generate a database script, in Database Explorer, right-click the database you want to reverse-engineer and select Tasks > Create Scripts Folder or Snapshot. In the wizard, users can structure scripts of database objects into folders, such as Programmability, Security, Tables, Views, Storage, Synonyms, and a separate script of the whole database. All these folders will have the corresponding subfolders with scripts.


Reverse-engineering a SQL Database in the Create Scripts Folder or Snapshot Wizard

Key benefits for developers

Database Designer is just one of many features available in dbForge Studio for SQL Server. This powerful IDE provides a comprehensive toolset that covers all database tasks in SQL Server, both on-premises and in the cloud, from SQL Server data modeling and code writing to source control.

Coding assistance

dbForge Studio for SQL Server offers a comprehensive range of features to accelerate SQL coding and enhance its quality. In particular, SQL Editor provides the following options:

  • Context-aware automated code completion
  • Syntax validation in real time
  • Code formatting with configurable profiles
  • T-SQL analysis for code checking and improvement
  • SQL snippets for quick reuse of code fragments

Write high-quality SQL code

Database comparison and synchronization

The Studio offers dedicated Schema Compare and Data Compare tools for comparing database schemas and table data in SQL Server, with deployment options for various platforms. These features are essential for database development and management. The key features are:

  • Comparison of databases across different environments
  • In-depth analysis of changes in each database, down to individual lines
  • Deployment of individual changes, a group of changes, or all changes
  • Generation of editable deployment scripts
  • Automation of database comparison and synchronization tasks

Compare and synchronize database schemas

Task automation

One of the main advantages of dbForge Studio for SQL Server is the possibility to automate standard tasks via CLI. It enables you to eliminate manual routines and reduce errors caused by the human factor. The following options are available:

  • Saving task settings as executable .bat files
  • Running tasks on demand automatically
  • Setting tasks to regular execution using Windows Task Scheduler
  • Flexible settings for automated task performance
  • Integration with CI/CD pipelines

Automate regular tasks with CLI

CI/CD support

The automation feature described in the previous section is the core of DevOps processes established with the help of dbForge Studio for SQL Server. You can utilize the numerous tools available in this IDE to configure database development and deployment operations, set up CI/CD processes within your team, and automate processes for optimal DevOps practices. The Studio offers the following options:

  • Organization of DevOps processes with dbForge cmdlets for PowerShell
  • Configuring CI/CD processes on-premises and in the cloud with the Azure DevOps plugin
  • Integration with Jenkins, TeamCity, and Bamboo using dedicated plugins
  • Automated unit tests written in plain SQL

Create and run Unit Tests automatically

Conclusion

Designing a database is a crucial first step that should never be underestimated. The structure of your database determines how data is organized, how efficiently it performs, and how well it meets business requirements. Using professional data design tools is essential as they speed up the process, ensure high-quality results, and simplify deployment.

dbForge Studio for SQL Server is a comprehensive IDE that provides everything you need for database creation, management, administration, and data analysis. One of its standout features, Database Designer, allows you to build databases of any complexity with ease and efficiency.

You can explore the full functionality of dbForge Studio for SQL Server with a 30-day free trial. Download and install it to experience how it transforms your workflows and takes your productivity to the next level.

FAQ

What are the main benefits of using a visual database designer over manual database scripting?

A visual database designer helps you design and modify database structures visually, eliminating the need for manual SQL code writing. Therefore, you can develop databases more efficiently and reduce errors. Finally, visual database design tools enable you to synchronize the visual model with the actual database instantly, as they automatically generate SQL scripts for database modification and deployment.

How can dbForge Studio help in creating and editing complex table relationships?

Database Designer available in dbForge Studio for SQL Server helps you create and edit complex relationships visually. You can draw them directly to link tables, while the tool automatically sets foreign constraints. You can edit the relationship properties in a dialog. All changes are immediately reflected in the diagram and SQL definitions of objects.

What is the difference between physical and virtual foreign keys in Database Designer?

Physical foreign keys are actual constraints stored in the database. Virtual foreign keys exist only within the diagram for visualization or logical modeling; they do not affect the physical schema or database structure. dbForge Studio for SQL Server generates SQL scripts for creating and editing databases, converting the visually set foreign keys into SQL scripts to create actual constraints.

How does reverse engineering work for existing SQL Server databases in dbForge Studio?

When working with dbForge Studio for SQL Server, you can import an existing database from Database Explorer into the Designer and convert it into a visual structure with all database objects and their relationships. Then you can analyze, modify, and document the database visually. The Studio can generate SQL scripts to update the database if necessary.

Can I annotate ER diagrams with notes, images, or metadata for better collaboration?

Yes. dbForge Studio allows you to add annotations and visual elements to ER diagrams. These elements include notes, text comments, shapes for explanations, and images. These annotations can help you improve collaboration within the team and serve as a reference for your individual work.

How do containers improve the organization of large database diagrams?

Containers group related objects within large ER diagrams, organizing tables by specific criteria. They can simplify navigation in complex models, which helps you understand the models better.

What tools are available for creating and editing DML queries while working visually?

dbForge Studio includes a visual Query Builder that helps you construct SQL queries and write high-quality SQL code. It allows you to design sophisticated queries visually using ready blocks, with complex JOINs, conditions, and subqueries. The tool converts that visual structure into the SQL query that you may edit, save for reuse, and execute immediately against the necessary database.

How does Database Designer support database documentation and reporting?

The visual database model can serve as a living reference for the database, as it provides comprehensive information about all database objects and their relationships immediately. Also, dbForge Studio for SQL Server includes a dedicated Documenter that generates detailed information directly from the live database of its model (with all notes) and saves it in PDF, HTML, or Markdown.

In what scenarios is reverse engineering most valuable for SQL Server projects?

Reverse engineering is beneficial when working with third-party databases that lack existing documentation, or when planning schema refactoring or optimization. It also helps when you need to design models with live databases during development. With reverse engineering, you can visualize the database schema and quickly grasp all its aspects and specificities.

How does dbForge Studio integrate design tasks with version control and DevOps workflows?

dbForge Studio for SQL Server includes an integrated Source Control feature that supports all popular version control systems and both the shared and dedicated work models. You can design and manage databases, and immediately commit changes to the repository, as the Source Control feature allows you to commit and roll back changes, as well as resolve conflicts directly within the Studio interface. Additionally, database development and management tasks can be automated and run on schedule, allowing you to configure efficient CI/CD pipelines.