Looking to simplify your Oracle development and management workflow? dbForge Studio is a powerful and intuitive integrated development environment (IDE) for Oracle that offers advanced tools to assist you in migrating and managing databases, all inside of a user-friendly GUI.
If you’re new to Oracle database management, or you’ve been using Oracle SQL Developer, dbForge Studio offers an all-in-one toolkit with added features like smart PL/SQL coding with code completion, SQL query tuning, data export/import, and much more. Here’s what you need to know.
What is dbForge Studio?
dbForge Studio provides a front-end client that simplifies the process of designing database structures, executing queries, and managing data. Using dbForge Studio for Oracle, you can boost your PL/SQL coding speed, migrate with ease, and automate daily maintenance tasks.
Among other features, dbForge Studio’s user-friendly visual interface can help you:
- Write and format code on the fly
- Debug procedures, functions, and triggers
- Design Oracle schema objects visually
- Build queries in a few clicks
- Create and edit database objects
- Migrate schemas and data between databases
- Design advanced data reports, charts, and pivot tables
We’ll explore these features in greater detail down below.
How Does dbForge Studio Compare to Oracle SQL Developer?
SQL Developer is a tried-and-tested tool for Oracle database development, and the team at Devart closely examined this classic when developing dbForge Studio. As a result, dbForge Studio offers the same features you know and love from SQL Developer, with added capabilities like smart PL/SQL coding with code completion; SQL query tuning; data and schema comparison; and data export/import tools.
Here are some other key differences:
| Feature | dbForge Studio | SQL Developer |
| Data Import/Export | Yes | No |
| Compiler | Yes | Yes |
| Comparison Tools | Yes | No |
| Debugger | Yes | Yes |
| Testing Tools | Yes | Yes |
| Data Modeling | Yes | Yes |
| Code Completion | Yes | No |
| SQL Query Tuning | Yes | No |
How Can dbForge Studio Simplify Your Workflow?
dbForge Studio expands upon the fundamental capabilities provided by solutions like SQL Developer and offers an all-in-one toolkit that’s extremely user-friendly and able to speed up every aspect of your Oracle workflow. With its visual design and smart automation, dbForge Studio will help you spend less time on development tasks so you can focus on what counts.
Here’s how dbForge Studio can help simplify your workflow across these key areas.
PL/SQL Development
When it comes to cutting down development time, it’s the little things that add up fast. dbForge Studio offers a handful of thoughtful features to help you blaze through your to-do list, like a column picker that prompts a complete list of relevant tables and columns when you type a statement. You’ll also breeze through SQL queries and PL/SQL coding with the smart code completion tool that analyzes each block and prompts objects based on context.
Smart formatting, pre-constructed code snippets, quick access to schema objects info, easy document navigation, and an integrated debugger also top the list of features designed to speed up the development process.
Data Modeling and Design
Designing a relational model of an Oracle database is quick and easy when you can do it visually. dbForge Studio offers a simple drag-and-drop functionality that allows you to create and edit relationships between tables at the click of a mouse, and makes for easy note-taking so you can describe objects and considerations for implementation later.
dbForge Studio allows you to drag objects into the design tool and generate an ER diagram automatically or draw it manually. Create and edit physical and virtual relations; make unlimited notes and stamps; and use containers and packages to better organize your diagrams. The best part? You can reverse-engineer your databases to shortcut the documentation or restructuring process.
Data Migration and Manipulation
Moving data in and out of Oracle databases shouldn’t be a chore. With dbForge Studio’s data migration tools and easy-to-follow wizards, you can avoid mishaps and streamline data transfers. dbForge Studio enables imports across 10 formats and exports across 14 formats, along with rich customization options and the ability to save templates to speed up future tasks.
If you need to import and export data on a regular basis, you can take advantage of dbForge Studio’s automation tools, which allow you to schedule tasks using the command line.
Comparison and Synchronization
Keeping your databases in sync couldn’t be easier than with dbForge Studio. With the ability to visually detect differences and set up accurate syncs that won’t lose data, you can save time and automate the tedious process of keeping your databases in stride with each other.
The database comparison and synchronization tool from dbForge Studio allows you to deliver updates from development databases to staging or production environments; generate SQL*Plus scripts to update a schema or data to match another; eliminate table data replication errors; compare table structure in the same or different Oracle databases; and so much more.
Data Reporting and Analytics
Data exploration, discovery, and decision-making should never be stifled by slow or overly-complicated reporting tools. In dbForge Studio, you can compile analytics with ease and visualize data for business intelligence purposes. Simple reports can be created without using any data source, or you can create a data-aware report based on certain tables, views, or query results.
If you prefer to use the command line to generate reports, or you’d like to deliver them on a schedule, dbForge Studio allows you to do that too. Simply use the Windows task scheduler to set up periodical generation and a report template can be used to update key team members automatically.
User Reviews for dbForge Studio
Here’s what users have to say about it.
On TrustRadius, dbForge Studio has a 4.5-star rating across 51 reviews. One review reads: “We found dbForge Studio for Oracle to be more stable and easy to use than both Toad for Oracle and RStudio, among others… In the past, we used MySQL Workbench, but the flexibility and robust toolset of dbForge Studio for Oracle won us over and there was no going back.”
On Gartner Peer Insights, dbForge Studio has a 4.4-star rating across 29 reviews. The top review reads: “My overall opinion is positive as it offers a robust set of features and functionalities that make database management tasks more efficient and streamlined. I could praise a few features: user-friendly interface, automation and productivity, comprehensive feature set, continuous updates.”
On G2, dbForge Studio has a 4.5-star rating across 19 reviews. The top review reads: “dbForge provides a convenient GUI to manage database objects like tables, views, procedures, functions etc. For DBAs, it provides features like session monitoring, and data export/Import. It’s very fast compared to the OracleSQL developer tool.”
Pricing & Licensing
dbForge Studio offers multiple licensing options to fit your needs. Subscription plans can be billed every year, every two years, or every three years. Perpetual plans allow you indefinite access to the tool, with one year of updates included and the option to add additional years for an extra fee.
A single standard license for dbForge Studio starts at $149.95 for a 1-year subscription or $299.95 for a perpetual license with one year of updates. Professional and Enterprise licenses are available for an additional fee, and unlock features like schema compare and sync; data compare and sync; and the data generator.
Should You Use dbForge Studio?
If you’ve tried a classic Oracle tool like SQL Developer in the past and you felt something was missing, dbForge Studio fills the void with a user-friendly interface, advanced functionality, and excellent support. If you’re looking for an IDE to supercharge your workflow, try it yourself.
