Overview of the dbForge Studio for SQL Server — the Best DataGrip Alternative
Published: 2023-02-14 16:10:03

DataGrip is a commercial database-integrated development environment for SQL Server developers and administrators. It ranks among the most popular database tools due to its intuitive interface and functionality.

If you are reading this article, you are probably interested in DataGrip alternatives. Well, we present [dbForge Studio for SQL Server](https://www.devart.com/dbforge/sql/studio/?utm_source=article&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=overview+of+the+dbforge+studio+for+sql+server+%E2%80%94+the+best+datagrip+alternative) — IDE with an even wider range of tools to improve and speed up your database experience.

dbForge Studio is suitable for a variety of database management systems and has a number of functional advantages:

- Сontext-sensitive code autocompletion, formatting options, object suggestions, smart refactoring, and other SQL development tools
- Visual Query Builder for building complex queries without coding
- Query performance tuning tools
- Powerful tools for comparing and synchronizing data and schemas
- Over 200 meaningful test data generators in one tool
- Database documentation generator
- Source control integration
- FREE Express Edition with basic database development and  management tools

## Enhanced SQL Coding

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/syxmfqsb1xrg7se3pbtd.png)

dbForge Studio for SQL Server offers a rich set of tools that speed up routine coding procedures:

- Code completion based on context
- Object suggestions
- Instant syntax check
- Multiple formatting profiles
- A collection of SQL snippets that can be customized
- Smart refactoring that automatically fixes references to renamed objects
- T-SQL Debugger for stored procedures, scripts, triggers, functions
- Increase in productivity

## Data and Schema Comparison

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/xxe1u08zzhckyn2yu3n1.png)

With dbForge Studio for SQL Server, comparing database schemas and actual data with subsequent synchronization is easier than ever:

- Differences in data and diagrams are conveniently shown
- Comparison results filtering offered
- Synchronization scripts are being generated
- Comprehensive comparative reports are created
- Offers CLI automation and scheduling of comparison and synchronization tasks

## Database Designer

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/su3h5bmdkdhssg0o5kcp.png)

[Visual Database Designer](https://www.devart.com/dbforge/sql/studio/database-diagram.html?utm_source=hackernoon.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=overview+of+the+dbforge+studio+for+sql+server+%E2%80%94+the+best+datagrip+alternative) offers an easy way to create and edit SQL Server databases without coding. To do this, you only need to transfer the database to the diagram. This will give you a clear understanding of the relationships between database objects.

- The database is visually represented in the form of scalable diagrams
- Containers are used to cluster logically related objects
- Logical relationships are tracked between tables
- Large diagrams are easy to print
- Diagrams are exported as images
- Proposed reverse engineering of database diagrams

## Query Builder


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/3k2loixikfxn6wpaekms.png)


dbForge Studio provides a built-in visual Query Builder. It allows you to create complex queries without coding. With [Query Builder](https://www.devart.com/dbforge/sql/studio/query-builder.html?utm_source=article&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=overview+of+the+dbforge+studio+for+sql+server+%E2%80%94+the+best+datagrip+alternative), queries with multiple tables, conditions, and subqueries can be processed quickly and easily.

- Visual representation of complex queries
- Query combinations
- Complex conditions
- Overview of the query structure in the Document Outline window
- Preview and print query diagrams
- Editing and exporting query results

## Test Data Generator


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/8zlzbr9hkbl9gqve7el1.png)

We have summarized the advantages of the built-in [Data Generator](https://www.devart.com/dbforge/sql/studio/sql-server-data-generator.html?utm_source=article&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=overview+of+the+dbforge+studio+for+sql+server+%E2%80%94+the+best+datagrip+alternative) below. It can deliver large amounts of meaningful test data and populate databases in a variety of ways.

- Over 200 highly customizable test data generators
- Live preview of generated data
- Support for key column data types
- CLI automation
- SQL data integrity support

## Query Profiler

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2o8l9natxgxg4p2ryvwm.png)

dbForge Studio also has another significant benefit, the [Query Profiler](https://www.devart.com/dbforge/sql/studio/sql-query-profiler.html?utm_source=article&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=overview+of+the+dbforge+studio+for+sql+server+%E2%80%94+the+best+datagrip+alternative). This is a tool for finding performance issues and speeding up slow queries.

- Easily find performance bottlenecks
- Instant redirect to any optimization step to view, run or save queries
- Monitoring session statistics for queries
- Comparing profiling results at a visual level
- Query profiling history

## The features comparison of DataGrip vs dbForge Studio for SQL Server

In the table, we have compared dbForge Studio for SQL Server 6.3.9 (Enterprise Edition) and DataGrip 2022.2.1.

| SQL Editing & Execution    |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Automatic SQL syntax check    | Yes | Yes|
|Code outlining  | Yes | Yes|
|Code snippets | Yes | Yes|
|Customizable SQL formatting and code beautifier | Yes | Yes|
|Wide range of SQL formatting options and profiles | Yes | Limited|
|Execute current statement | Yes | Yes|
|Parameter information for stored routines | Yes | Yes|
|SQL editor with syntax coloring | Yes | Yes|
|Quick access to favorite templates from the SQL editor | Yes | Yes|
|Bookmarks | Yes | Yes|
|Select block | Yes | Yes|
|Text search| Yes | Yes|
|Document Outline window for quick navigation through large scripts| Yes | Yes|
|Execution of scripts, selected SQL fragments and statements| Yes | Yes|
|One-step access to the database object editor from the code (go to definition)| Yes | Yes|
|SQL Query History window| Yes | Yes|
|Execution warnings| Yes | Yes|
|GUI transaction support| Yes | Yes|
|Command-line interface for script execution| Yes | Yes|

| Code Completion  |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Context-sensitive code completion | Yes | Yes|
|One-click access to schema object definitions | Yes | Yes|
|Auto-generation of table aliases| Yes | Yes|
|Quick information about database objects| Yes | Yes|
|SQL refactoring with automatic correction of references to renamed objects| Yes | Limited|

| T-SQL Debugger |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Script debugging | Yes | Yes|
|Step Into, Step Over, and Step Out commands for step-by-step execution | Yes | Yes|
|Breakpoints support for procedures, functions, triggers, and scripts | Yes | Yes|
|Breakpoints window | Yes | Yes|
|Call Stack window with navigation | Yes | Yes|
|Watches window for variable evaluation | Yes | Yes|

| Visual Query Builder |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Support for the SELECT statement | Yes | No|
|Support for the INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements | Yes | No|
|Common table expression | Yes | No|
|State-of-the-art diagram | Yes | No|
|Zooming | Yes | No|
|Keyboard support | Yes | No|
|Diagram preview | Yes | No|
|Diagram printing| Yes | No|
|Visual addition of sub-queries to any part of the main query| Yes | No|
|Query outline (displayed in the Document Outline window)| Yes | No|
|Visual editing of sub-queries| Yes | No|
|Expression builder for creating complex conditions| Yes | No|
|Drag-and-drop required tables| Yes | No|
|Copy/Paste for tables on the diagram| Yes | No|
|Undo/Redo support| Yes | No|

| Database Designer |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Visual Database Designer | Yes | Yes|
|Visualization of tables | Yes | Yes|
|Visualization of stored procedures and functions| Yes | No|
|Visualization of views | Yes | Yes|
|Easy access to database objects for viewing their properties | Yes | Limited|
|Support for IDEF1X and IE notations | Yes | Yes|
|Customizable diagram look and feel with skin support| Yes | No|
|Smart ER Diagram layout | Yes | Yes|
|Diagram export to different image formats | Yes | Yes|
|Arrangement of diagram shapes using containers| Yes | No|
|Customizable diagram printing with a rich set of options | Yes | Limited|
|Optional display of table constraints, indexes, and triggers | Yes | Yes|
|Integration with the Document Outline window| Yes | No|
|Diagram navigation with the Diagram Overview window| Yes | No|
|Notes for adding comments to a diagram | Yes | Yes|
|Export to image only | Yes | Yes|
|Zoom in/out | Yes | Yes|
|Save/Load diagram | Yes | Yes|
|Forward engineering of physical database designs| Yes | No|

| Data Editor |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Copying data with column headers for quick pasting to a spreadsheet | Yes | Yes|
|Custom data filters of any complexity| Yes | No|
|Data Viewer window for browsing images, RTF, and binary cell values | Yes | Yes|
|Date/Time editor with a visual interface | Yes | Yes|
|Foreign key lookup editor for easy editing of fields referencing other tables| Yes | No|
|Free copying of any block of data to clipboard | Yes | Yes|
|Full-text search (Ctrl+F) in the data grid | Yes | Yes|
|Single row values view | Yes | Yes|
|Graphical card view| Yes | No|
|Grouping by arbitrary columns| Yes | No|
|Incremental search (Ctrl+I) through the data grid| Yes | No|
|Large objects (LOB) editor | Yes | Yes|
|Multi-table query result set editing | Yes | Yes|
|Paginal data browsing for large result sets | Yes | Yes|
|Data printing | Yes | Yes|
|Quick filter available for each data cell| Yes | No|
|Record numbering option | Yes | Yes|
|Read-only state indication | Yes | Yes|
|Report and pivot building directly from the data editor| Yes | No|
|Server-side sorting and filtering for large data sets | Yes | Yes|
|Visible columns dialog | Yes | Yes|
|Editing of multiple execution results of one script on separate tabs | Yes | Yes|
|Autocommit mode | Yes | Yes|
|Export selected data to CSV, HTML, and XML | Yes | Yes|
|Export selected data to JSON | Yes | Yes|
|Export selected data to SQL | Yes | Yes|
|Export selected data to a file | Yes | Yes|

| Database Explorer |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Multiple database connections | Yes | Yes|
|Filter objects in the objects folder | Yes | Yes|
|Browse and navigate through objects | Yes | Yes|
|Detailed object properties and data browsing in the Object Viewer window | Yes | Yes|
|Dependency tree browsing for each object| Yes | No|
|Quick template script generation for selected objects: SELECT, INSERT, etc. | Yes | Yes|
|The 'Send To' command for quick sending of tables to Query Builder, Data Report, and other tools | Yes | Yes|
Search box | Yes | Yes|
Duplicate objects (tables, views) | Yes | Yes|
Duplicate structure/structure and data | Yes | Yes|
Duplicate objects (procedures, functions) | Yes | Yes|

| Table Designer |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Flat table editor | Yes | Yes|
|Convenient editor for foreign keys | Yes | Yes|
|Partitioning support | Yes | Yes|
|Preview of schema changes before updating a database | Yes | Yes|
|Heuristics that helps define data types of new columns | Yes | No|

| Object Editor |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Visual editor for database objects | Yes | Yes|
|Backups| Yes | No|
|Undo option for the object editor| Yes | No|

| Schema & Data Comparison |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Comparison and synchronization of data in databases of virtually any size | Yes | Limited|
|Comparison of assemblies, procedures, functions, triggers, user types, sequences, synonyms, rules, defaults, plan guides| Yes | No|
|Comparison of external resources: tables, data sources, file formats| Yes | No|
|Service broker comparison (service, route, remote service binding, queue, message type, event notification, contract, broker priorities)| Yes | No|
|Storage comparison (full-text catalogs, partition schemes, partition functions, full-text stoplist, search property list)| Yes | No|
|Comparison of tables and views | Yes | Limited|
|Custom comparison keys| Yes | No|
|Comparison results filtering| Yes | No|
|Data synchronization script generation| Yes | No|
|Viewing of data differences per record| Yes | No|
|Exclusion of tables and records from synchronization| Yes | No|
|Saving and loading of comparison settings| Yes | No|
|Command-line interface for data comparison and synchronization| Yes | No|
|Generation of accurate comparison reports in HTML and Excel| Yes | No|
|Generation of comments| Yes | No|
|Specific options for tables, script objects, triggers, indexes, and constraints| Yes | No|
|Include\Exclude objects by mask in Data Compare| Yes | No|
|Include\Exclude objects by mask in Schema Compare| Yes | No|
|Schema comparison with script folders| Yes | No|
|Scheduled data synchronization| Yes | No|
|Save as Command Line| Yes | No|
|Comparison of tabs| Yes | Yes|
|Support for Azure DW| Yes | Yes|
|Support for Azure Synapse| Yes | Yes|
|Support for SQL Server 2022| Yes | Yes|

| Data Export |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|CSV | Yes | Yes|
|XML | Yes | Yes|
|Text| Yes | Yes|
|XLS| Yes | No|
|XLSX| Yes | Yes|
|PDF| Yes | No|
|DBF| Yes | No|
|HTML| Yes | Yes|
|RTF| Yes | No|
|JSON| Yes | Yes|
|Google Sheets| Yes | No|
|MDB (Microsoft Access)| Yes | No|
|ODBC| Yes | No|
|SQL| Yes | Yes|
|Data export using the command-line interface| Yes | No|

| Data Import|dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|CSV | Yes | Yes|
|XML | Yes | Yes|
|Text| Yes | No|
|XLS| Yes | No|
|XLSX| Yes | No|
|PDF| Yes | No|
|DBF| Yes | No|
|HTML| Yes | No|
|RTF| Yes | No|
|JSON| Yes | No|
|Google Sheets| Yes | No|
|MDB (Microsoft Access)| Yes | No|
|ODBC| Yes | No|

| Schema Export & Import|dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Copy database| Yes | No|
|Database snapshots| Yes | No|
|Native backup/restore| Yes | No|
|Scheduled backup| Yes | No|
|Database script folders| Yes | No|
|Generation of database scripts| Yes | Limited|

| Source Control|dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Integration with Azure DevOps (Git, TFVC)| Yes | No|
|Integration with Git (GitHub, GitLab, BitBucket)| Yes | No|
|Integration with SVN| Yes | No|
|Working folder with SQL scripts| Yes | No|
|Shared and dedicated database development models| Yes | No|
|Commit, Get Latest, Undo Changes| Yes | No|
|Resolve conflicts: Get Local and Get Remote| Yes | No|
|Preview changes and differences before committing| Yes | No|
|Version-control static data| Yes | No|
|View the history of changes (who, when and why made each change)| Yes | No|

| Administration|dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Server Event Profiler| Yes | No|
|Server Monitor| Yes | No|

| User & Session Management|dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Visual editors for users, logins, and roles| Yes | Yes|
|Visual editors for schemas| Yes | Yes|
|Visual editors for object level permissions| Yes | Yes|

| Data Analysis|dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Display of table data representing parent-child dependencies (Master-Detail Browser)| Yes | Yes|
|Data report generation wizard| Yes | No|
|Data report designer| Yes | No|
|Pivot table designer| Yes | No|
|Сhart availability| Yes | No|
|Chart building wizard| Yes | No|
|Data search on a live database| Yes | Yes|
|Automated report generation and distribution using CLI| Yes | No|

| Test Data Generation|dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Support for all SQL Server column data types| Yes | No|
|Multiple generators with data customization| Yes | No|
|SQL data integrity support| Yes | No|
|Multiple ways to populate data| Yes | No|
|Meaningful generators| Yes | No|
|User-defined generators| Yes | No|
|Real-time preview of generated data| Yes | No|
|CLI wizard| Yes | No|

| Database Documenter|dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Broad picture of database structure| Yes | No|
|Rich customization features| Yes | No|
|HTML format| Yes | No|
|PDF format| Yes | No|
|Markdown format| Yes | No|
|Text format| Yes | No|
|Documentation customization with style templates| Yes | No|
|View inter-object and inter-database dependencies| Yes | No|
|Command-line interface| Yes | No|

| Performance Tuning |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Broad picture of database structure| Yes | Yes|
|Visual SQL explain plan| Yes | Yes|
|Session statistics displayed in the UI| Yes | Yes|
|Query plan displayed in the tree view for easy reviewing| Yes | Yes|
|Profiling history that can be saved for further analysis| Yes | No|
|Comparison of profiling results with the highlighting of differences| Yes | No|
|Printing of profiling results| Yes | No|
|Top performance reports| Yes | No|
|Query Profiler with comparison results| Yes | No|

| Search |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Search for database objects| Yes | Yes|
|Search for table data| Yes | Yes|
|Preview found pieces| Yes | Yes|
|Navigate to the object in Database Explorer| Yes | Yes|

| Unit Testing |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Unit testing based on the tSQLt framework| Yes | Yes|
|Command-line interface| Yes | No|

| DevOps Automation |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Unit testing based on the tSQLt framework| Yes | Yes|
|PowerShell cmdlet collection| Yes | No|
|Jenkins plugin for SQL Server| Yes | No|
|TeamCity plugin for SQL Server| Yes | No|
|Azure DevOps plugin for SQL Server| Yes | No|
|Bamboo plugin for SQL Server| Yes | No|

| User Interface |dbForge Studio       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Start Page with quick access to main features| Yes | Yes|
|Rich user settings| Yes | Yes|
|UI skins| Yes | Yes|
|Customizable window layout| Yes | Yes|
|Tool windows with the auto-hide mode| Yes | Yes|
|Tool windows with the float mode| Yes | Yes|
|Multiple shortcut schemes with full shortcut customization| Yes | Yes|
|Syntax highlighting customization| Yes | Yes|
|Tabbed groups for documents| Yes | Yes|
|Toolbar customization| Yes | Yes|
|Wizard for sharing common code standards and templates| Yes | Yes|
|GUI font| Yes | Yes|

| Database Connectivity       | DataGrip |
| ------------- |:-------------:| -----:|
|Azure SQL Application ID| Yes | No|
|Connection coloring| Yes | Yes|
|Connection categories| Yes | No|
|Read-only connection| Yes | Yes| 
|Multiple sessions for one connection| Yes | Yes| 
|Export/Import of connections| Yes | Limited| 
|SQL Server 2000 or later| Yes | Yes| 
|Microsoft Azure SQL| Yes | Yes|

## Conclusions

Obviously, [dbForge Studio for SQL Server](https://www.devart.com/dbforge/sql/studio/?utm_source=article&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=overview+of+the+dbforge+studio+for+sql+server+%E2%80%94+the+best+datagrip+alternative) offers a number of functional blocks that are missing in DataGrip - advanced schema and data comparison tools, as well as Query Builder, Data Generator, Documenter, Source Control. If you are using DataGrip and you want to use a more powerful tool, now you have found it.

## Ideal integrated development environment for SQL Server databases

[dbForge Studio for SQL Server](https://www.devart.com/dbforge/sql/studio/?utm_source=article&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=overview+of+the+dbforge+studio+for+sql+server+%E2%80%94+the+best+datagrip+alternative) has established itself as a versatile IDE that helps SQL developers, administrators, and data analysts in their daily work. Even the free Express Edition is a great alternative to DataGrip. It is suitable for those who need a basic set of functionality.