DbSchema Cross-Platform Database Design Tool for Windows, macOS, and Linux

Yes. DbSchema runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and you install it from the same kit on all three. This page covers which package to take for your operating system, what each installer actually does, how to get past macOS Gatekeeper, how to set permissions on Linux, and how to move a .dbs project between machines. For schema design itself, see the DbSchema documentation.

Does DbSchema Run on Windows, macOS and Linux?

DbSchema ships native packages for all three operating systems, currently version 10.5.0. The interface, the supported databases and the project format are the same everywhere, so a model built on one platform behaves identically on another. The installation kit is the same for the Community and Pro editions - which edition you get is decided by your licence, not by the download you take.

What You Need Before You Install

Very little. DbSchema is a desktop application built on Java, but every native installer carries its own Java runtime, so you do not need to install or configure Java yourself - the FAQ documents the bundled runtime that ships inside the application directory. The documentation additionally lists a .jar archive that requires Java 11 or later; note that the download page currently offers only the native installers, so that route is not available from the site as it stands.

• No registration - the download page hands over the installer without an account.
• One kit, both editions - the same file installs Community and Pro.
• A 15-day Pro trial is included, and it can be extended by a further 15 days.
• After the trial the application continues as the free Community Edition.

Download and Install DbSchema

Take the package that matches your operating system and, on Windows and Linux, your processor architecture. Every option below is on the DbSchema download page.

Windows Installation

On Windows the usual choice is the .exe installer, a wizard that unpacks the application, creates shortcuts and puts the bundled runtime in place so the program starts straight after setup.

• Exe Installer - the standard, automated setup for most users.
• Zip Package - a portable build: extract the folder and run the executable inside. Use this when you have no administrator rights.
• MSI Installer - the package format for scripted or network-wide deployment.
• ARM-64 EXE - the build for Windows machines on ARM hardware.

macOS Installation

On macOS the usual choice is the .dmg disk image, which works on both Intel and Apple Silicon hardware.

• DMG Installer - mount the image and drag DbSchema into your Applications folder.
• TGZ Installer - a compressed archive for custom or automated deployments.

Because Gatekeeper blocks applications that did not come from the App Store, the first launch may be refused. Open System Settings, go to Privacy & Security, scroll to the message naming DbSchema and click Open Anyway. Right-clicking the application in Applications and choosing Open has the same effect.

Linux Installation

On Linux, take the package your distribution understands. The .sh installer runs a graphical setup wizard and works almost everywhere.

• SH Package - a shell installer with a setup wizard, the safest default across distributions.
• Debian Package (.deb) - for Debian and Ubuntu, installed through your package manager.
• RPM Package (.rpm) - for Red Hat, Fedora and CentOS.
• GZIP Package - a manual archive: extract it wherever you want the application to live.
• GZIP Package (ARM-64) - the same manual archive for ARM hardware.

If you take one of the archive packages rather than .deb or .rpm, make the launcher executable before the first run with chmod +x DbSchema in the install directory.

Moving a Project Between Operating Systems

DbSchema keeps the whole model - tables, relations, diagrams and layouts - in one .dbs project file, which is plain indented XML. A .dbs file written on Windows opens unchanged on macOS or Linux; there is no conversion step and no per-platform variant of the format.

Because it is XML, the file also diffs line by line in a pull request, so a mixed-OS team can keep the model in Git alongside the application code and review schema changes the same way it reviews everything else. DbSchema has a Git client built in, so the model can be cloned, branched and pushed without leaving the application.

Troubleshooting a Failed Install

If DbSchema installs but will not start, the cause is almost always the operating system blocking it or an incomplete download rather than the application itself.

• Windows - run the application as Administrator once, and if it still fails, pause antivirus software and reinstall from a fresh download.
• macOS - confirm you granted permission in Privacy & Security, as described above.
• Linux - check that the launcher script is executable, and on a minimal or headless system confirm the display libraries the interface needs are present.

If none of that helps, the installer can write a log that says what it did. The FAQ gives the command per platform:

# Windows
DbSchema.exe /create-i4j-log

# macOS
export INSTALL4J_LOG=yes
/Applications/DbSchema/DbSchema.app/Contents/MacOS/JavaApplicationStub

Why Use DbSchema?

Design and visualize
your database schema

Edit referenced records
in related tables

Query your data
visually too

Reuse the SQL
generated

Free Download

Beyond running on every desktop operating system, DbSchema is built to keep one model in front of a team that does not all use the same machine.

• Runs natively on Windows, macOS and Linux from the same installation kit.
• Connects to roughly 100 databases, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server and MongoDB.
• Stores the model as a single .dbs XML file that diffs in Git and moves between operating systems unchanged.
• Reverse-engineers an existing database into interactive diagrams, in the free Community Edition.
• Exports HTML5, PDF and Markdown documentation - a Pro feature, not part of Community.

Download DbSchema for your operating system and open your own database in it - reverse-engineering a schema into a diagram works in the free Community Edition, and the download includes a 15-day Pro trial if you also want documentation export and schema synchronization.