When we are in the early stages of a project, when we need to design a large number of tables, it is more efficient to use database design tools! Today I recommend a Chinese open source database design tool chiner, beautiful interface, powerful function, I hope to help you!

Review of PowerDesigner

The interface of PowerDesigner is a bit old. The interface looks very old, and sometimes it is a bit heavy to use. Let’s take a look at the effect of using PowerDesigner to design databases.

Recently experienced a Chiner, database design is really very convenient, the interface UI is also good, let us see the effect of using it to design the database, is a lightweight, modern database design tool!

Introduction of chiner

Chiner (kaɪ n ɪ r]) is a database relational model design platform that supports multiple databases and is independent of specific databases. Chiner is built using React+Electron+Java technology stack.

Chiner has had a rough ride, and the authors of the project have put it on the front page of README, which shows how difficult it is to develop a useful open source tool. Let’s take a look at how it’s developed.

All men are mortal

At the beginning of 2018, I and a few friends in the community who are interested in open source formed a loose group and completed the release of PDMan version 1.0 in one and a half months, which solved the problem from scratch.

In May 2018, the first open source public version of PDMan was released, with periodic updates until January 2019.

Every day, more than 3,000 companies and individuals use PDMan to design their databases.

During our own use and the use of users, we put forward a lot of optimization suggestions.

Many of the optimizations and upgrades were very difficult to implement due to insufficient design consideration in the early stage, so we planned another brand new version in December 2019.

When feelings meet survival and development, it is really difficult to speak ideal with an empty stomach. During this period, our team went through several twists and turns and was on the verge of dissolving for several times.

At the end of 2019, we had less than 30,000 yuan of start-up capital and started our business almost bare-ass. Fortunately, we were assigned to two projects with the help of several friends. The core team was divided into two parts: one went to Hangzhou, the other went to the far north.

During this period, we continued to ferment and precipitation. Together with our friends in the community, we completed the technical architecture design, interface prototype design and the development and coding of key core modules in our spare time.

We, along with our friends in the community, have been working on the new version 3.0 until today (July 17, 2021).

The installation

Chiner is a cross-platform database design tool that supports Windows, Mac, and Linux.

  • We need to pay attention to download the installation package if it is Google Chrome, you need to right-click, choose the link save as download, download address: gitee.com/robergroup/…

  • Download the green version after the completion of the decompression to the specified directory, double-click exe to open the execution program;

  • When you open the interface, you will find a very thoughtful manual and reference template.

The basic use

As a database design tool, chiner’s functions are quite powerful. Here we experience its basic functions through the official education management system reference template.

The basic concept

  • Since Chiner needs to support multiple databases and generate entity class code, the concept of datatypes is used to map the datatypes in chiner to various databases and code. For example, let’s look at the string datatypes.

  • Remember that when we use other tools to design the database, we often need to set the length of characters, set the amount of money need to set the length and decimal number. In Chiner, as long as the data field is set, it can be automatically generated. Let’s look at the data field;

  • The important thing to note here is that data fields need to bind data types;

  • Chiner also provides data dictionary functionality for enumeration types of fields, such as male M, female F, unknown U

Data sheet management

  • In the design of the database, often use some common fields, such as creation time, creator, update time, update people such fields, using chiner can be automatically generated, click Settings, new table default field can be;

  • Next we add a new test table and see that all the public fields have been added, which is nice;

  • Careful friends will find that the default setting of the current field is uppercase, we are used to lowercase how to do, select the field code, click the case button can be one key conversion;

  • When we add a field, as long as we directly select the data field, you can automatically set the data type and length, such as the common primary key, name, etc., very convenient;

  • Of course, we can also directly select the data dictionary, after the selection can also directly view the data dictionary.

Diagram management

  • It is also convenient to use Chiner to create a diagram. Click On the new diagram and select the line object as a field.

  • Next, drag the database table into the diagram.

  • Connect related fields to create a line, right-click the line can edit the relationship;

  • To see a complete diagram, the effect is still good, the operation is also very convenient;

  • Chiner does not support the use of foreign keys to generate diagrams. However, it is stated in the Java development manual of Alibaba that foreign keys are not allowed. Since foreign keys are no longer used, it makes sense to pull relationships out of the database and into the designer.

Import and Export

Ecological docking is also supported, Chiner supports database reverse parsing, import PowerDesigner files, export DDL scripts and Word documents, let’s experience below.

  • Before importing from the database, we need to configure the database connection information.

  • Then select import from database; Then select the table to import;

  • Of course, Chiner also supports importing from PowerDesigner files;

  • When we have designed the database, we can use chiner’s export DDL function to synchronize the table to the database.

  • Sometimes you may need to export DDL scripts. You can directly use the DDL export function of Chiner.

conclusion

Chiner is indeed a beautiful interface, easy to use, powerful database design platform. It is much more lightweight and has a much higher interface experience than PowerDesigner. The only drawback is that you can’t generate diagrams from foreign keys, which can be a hassle for projects that use foreign keys, but there are probably fewer tables that use foreign keys today.

The resources

  • Project address: gitee.com/robergroup/…
  • Operation manual: www.yuque.com/chiner/docs…