Universal Database Workbench

A modern, cloud-ready database management and visual design platform built with NestJS, GraphQL, React, and Vite. Workbench provides a comprehensive solution for managing multiple database types with intuitive schema visualization, data exploration, and real-time team collaboration features.

The Next-Generation Alternative to MySQL Workbench, DBeaver, and Adminer — Built for modern development teams and deployment pipelines.

🚀 Features

• Multi-Database Support: Seamless integration with PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MSSQL
• Visual Schema Designer: Interactive diagram-based schema creation and modification
• Data Browser: Powerful table data exploration and manipulation
• Real-time Notifications: WebSocket-based event system for collaborative updates
• Multi-Workspace Support: Organize projects into isolated workspaces with team management
• Identity & Access Management: Role-based access control and team permissions
• Feature Flags: Dynamic feature toggle system for controlled rollouts
• Connection Management: Secure database connection handling with encryption
• Schema Inspector: Detailed schema analysis and validation tools
• SQL Engine: Advanced query execution and result streaming
• 🤖 AI Agent Support: Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration for autonomous database management by Claude and other AI agents
• Agent Tools: 30+ tools for schema discovery, query execution, performance analysis, and automation

🏆 Why Workbench? (vs. MySQL Workbench, DBeaver, Adminer)

At a Glance

MySQL Workbench    → Desktop application for MySQL only
DBeaver            → Heavy Java-based tool, not web-first
Adminer            → Lightweight but lacks team features
Workbench (Ours)   → 🎯 Modern, collaborative, multi-database, open-source

The Real Difference

Feature	Workbench	MySQL Workbench	DBeaver	Adminer
Multi-Database Support	✅ PG, MySQL, MSSQL	⚠️ MySQL only	✅ 30+ databases	✅ Multiple
Real-time Collaboration	✅ Team workspaces	❌ Single user	❌ No	❌ No
Visual Schema Designer	✅ Interactive diagrams	✅ Basic ER diagrams	✅ Basic	❌ No
Cloud/Web-Based	✅ Full SaaS ready	❌ Desktop only	⚠️ Limited	✅ Web-based
Team Management	✅ Built-in RBAC	❌ No	❌ No	⚠️ Basic
API-First Architecture	✅ GraphQL API	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Open Source	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Modern Tech Stack	✅ React, Node.js	❌ Legacy C++	⚠️ Java	⚠️ PHP
Real-time Updates	✅ WebSocket support	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Feature Flags	✅ Built-in	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
TypeScript/Type Safety	✅ End-to-end	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Extensible API	✅ GraphQL	❌ No	⚠️ Limited	❌ REST only
Self-Hostable	✅ Docker included	⚠️ Limited	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Active Development	✅ Actively maintained	⚠️ Slower updates	✅ Very active	⚠️ Slower

Key Advantages

🌐 True Cloud-Native Architecture

Unlike MySQL Workbench's desktop-only approach, Workbench is built as a web application that works anywhere:

• No installation required — just open in browser
• Instant updates without user intervention
• Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android
• Perfect for remote teams and distributed development

👥 Built-in Team Collaboration

MySQL Workbench: Single-user desktop application
Workbench: Native workspace and team support

• Share connections and schemas with team members
• Role-based access control (RBAC)
• Activity tracking and notifications
• Real-time schema change notifications
• Invite teammates with permission levels

📱 Multi-Database Management

MySQL Workbench: MySQL only
Workbench: PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MSSQL

• Switch between databases without leaving application
• Same interface for all databases
• Unified schema designer across databases
• Query translation and optimization

⚡ Modern, Fast Architecture

• Built with React + Vite (not legacy desktop frameworks)
• GraphQL API for efficient data fetching
• Real-time updates via WebSockets
• Type-safe end-to-end (TypeScript everywhere)
• Lightning-fast UI with hot-reload development

🔌 Extensible via GraphQL API

• Full REST-like API access via GraphQL
• Build custom tools and integrations
• Programmatic schema management
• Ideal for CI/CD pipelines and automation

🚀 SaaS/Self-Hosted Flexibility

• Self-host with Docker (included docker-compose.yml)
• Deploy to any cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP, Heroku, etc.)
• Zero vendor lock-in
• Full source code transparency

🔐 Enterprise Security

• JWT-based authentication
• Row-level security with workspace isolation
• Encrypted credential storage
• CORS and input validation
• Self-hosting for compliance requirements

Perfect For...

✅ Development Teams — Collaborate on database schema design
✅ Remote/Distributed Teams — Access from anywhere
✅ Multi-Database Environments — Single tool for multiple databases
✅ DevOps/Automation — API-first design for CI/CD integration
✅ Startups — Open source, self-hostable, scalable
✅ Enterprises — Full control with self-hosting option
✅ Cloud-Native Applications — Built for modern deployments

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📁 Project Structure

workbench/
├── apps/
│   ├── api/                    # NestJS GraphQL Backend
│   │   ├── src/
│   │   │   ├── modules/       # Feature modules
│   │   │   ├── core/          # Core services
│   │   │   ├── common/        # Shared utilities
│   │   │   └── main.ts        # Entry point
│   │   └── prisma/            # Database schema
│   └── web/                    # React Frontend
│       ├── src/
│       │   ├── components/    # React components
│       │   ├── context/       # Context providers
│       │   ├── graphql/       # GraphQL queries
│       │   ├── stores/        # State management
│       │   └── routes/        # Page routes
│       └── vite.config.ts     # Vite configuration
├── packages/
│   ├── db-drivers/            # Multi-database driver package
│   │   └── src/
│   │       ├── postgres/      # PostgreSQL implementation
│   │       ├── mysql/         # MySQL implementation
│   │       └── mssql/         # MSSQL implementation
│   └── shared-types/          # Shared TypeScript types
└── docker/                     # Docker configurations

🛠️ Tech Stack

Backend

• Runtime: Node.js with TypeScript
• Framework: NestJS 11
• API: GraphQL with Apollo Server
• Database ORM: Prisma 6
• Authentication: JWT with Passport
• Security: bcryptjs for password hashing
• Real-time: WebSocket support via Apollo Server

Frontend

• Framework: React 18
• Build Tool: Vite 6
• Styling: Tailwind CSS 4
• State Management: Zustand
• GraphQL Client: Apollo Client
• Editor: Monaco Editor
• UI Components: Radix UI, custom shadcn-inspired components
• Data Tables: TanStack React Table
• Diagrams: Dagre for graph layouts

Infrastructure

• Monorepo Tool: Turbo
• Package Manager: pnpm
• Containerization: Docker & Docker Compose
• Version Control: Git

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ and pnpm 10+
• Docker & Docker Compose
• PostgreSQL, MySQL, or MSSQL for target databases

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd workbench

2. Install dependencies

   pnpm install

3. Set up environment

   # Create .env files in apps/api
   cp apps/api/.env.example apps/api/.env

4. Start Docker services

   docker-compose up -d

5. Initialize database

   pnpm db:generate
   pnpm db:migrate

6. Start development servers

   pnpm dev

The application will be available at:

• Frontend: http://localhost:5173
• API: http://localhost:4000/graphql

📚 Documentation

• Architecture Guide - System design and module overview
• Development Guide - Development workflows and commands
• Project Discovery - Codebase navigation and structure
• Contributing Guidelines - How to contribute
• Setup Instructions - Detailed setup and configuration
• MCP Integration Guide - AI agent integration via Model Context Protocol
• MCP Implementation Guide - How to implement MCP handlers
• Skills Documentation - Platform capabilities and features

🔧 Available Commands

Development

# Start all services in development mode
pnpm dev

# Watch and rebuild
pnpm build

# Run tests
pnpm test

# Lint code
pnpm lint

Database

# Generate Prisma client
pnpm db:generate

# Run migrations
pnpm db:migrate

# Open Prisma Studio
pnpm db:studio

Workspace Operations

# Filter commands to specific workspace
pnpm --filter api build
pnpm --filter web dev

# View task graph
turbo graph

📦 Core Packages

@workbench/db-drivers

Multi-database abstraction layer supporting:

• PostgreSQL via pg
• MySQL via mysql2
• MSSQL via tedious

Features:

• Connection pooling
• Query execution
• Error handling
• Type safety

@workbench/shared-types

Shared TypeScript types and interfaces used across frontend and backend:

• GraphQL schema types
• API response models
• Domain entities
• Utility types

🏗️ Architecture Highlights

• Modular Design: Feature-based module organization in the API
• GraphQL-First: Type-safe API layer with full schema introspection
• Separation of Concerns: Clear boundaries between data, business logic, and presentation
• Real-time Updates: WebSocket support for live notifications
• Scalable Database: Prisma enables easy database migration and evolution

🔐 Security

• JWT Authentication: Secure token-based authentication
• CORS Protection: Configured CORS for frontend domain
• Input Validation: DTO-based request validation with class-validator
• Password Hashing: bcryptjs for secure password storage
• Connection Security: Encrypted database credentials

🚀 Deployment

Production Build

# Build all packages
pnpm build

# API production start
node apps/api/dist/main

# Web production preview
pnpm --filter web preview

Docker Deployment

docker-compose up --build

💡 Use Cases

Scenario 1: Distributed Development Team

A startup with developers across 3 continents needs to collaborate on database schema design.

Without Workbench:

• Use MySQL Workbench (desktop only) — not web-accessible
• Email schema files back and forth
• Merge conflicts and version control nightmares
• No real-time collaboration

With Workbench:

• ✅ Team members access same workspace from browser
• ✅ Real-time notifications of schema changes
• ✅ Role-based permissions (Junior Dev can view, Senior Lead can approve)
• ✅ Complete audit trail of who changed what

Scenario 2: Multi-Database Migration

Enterprise needs to migrate from MySQL to PostgreSQL while maintaining MySQL for legacy systems.

Without Workbench:

• Use different tools for MySQL and PostgreSQL
• Learn different interfaces and workflows
• Manual query translation between databases
• No unified schema visualization

With Workbench:

• ✅ Single interface for both MySQL and PostgreSQL
• ✅ Side-by-side schema comparison
• ✅ Query execution on both databases simultaneously
• ✅ Automatic schema synchronization

Scenario 3: CI/CD Pipeline Integration

DevOps team wants to automate database schema deployments.

Without Workbench:

• Limited API access, must use CLI tools
• Manual migration scripts
• No version control integration
• Complex bash scripting

With Workbench:

• ✅ Full GraphQL API for automation
• ✅ Feature flags for gradual rollouts
• ✅ Programmatic schema management
• ✅ Perfect for Infrastructure-as-Code

Scenario 4: Client Database Management

SaaS company manages customer databases and needs secure, multi-tenant access.

Without Workbench:

• Give direct database access (security risk!)
• Each customer needs their own tools
• Complex permission management
• No audit trail

With Workbench:

• ✅ Workspace isolation per customer
• ✅ Role-based access control
• ✅ Complete audit logging
• ✅ Safe, permission-gated access

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🤝 Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines on:

• Code standards
• Commit conventions
• Pull request process
• Development workflow

📝 License

[Add your license here]

📧 Support & Community

• 📖 Full Documentation: See Project Discovery
• 🏗️ Architecture Guide: Check ARCHITECTURE.md
• 🚀 Getting Started: Follow SETUP.md
• 💬 Issues & Discussions: Open GitHub Issues
• 🤝 Contributing: See CONTRIBUTING.md

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🌟 Key Highlights

Aspect	Benefit
Cost	Open source, self-hostable (no subscription fees)
Speed	Modern tech stack ensures lightning-fast performance
Team Ready	Built-in collaboration, no additional tools needed
Multi-Database	Manage PostgreSQL, MySQL, MSSQL from one place
Secure	Full control with self-hosting option
Extensible	GraphQL API for custom integrations
Modern	Active development, continuous improvements

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Universal Database Workbench — The open-source, web-based alternative to MySQL Workbench for modern development teams.

Made by CrewDigital | Universal Database Workbench v0.1.0