Design and Manage HSQLDB Databases with DbSchema

Build a clearer workflow for HSQLDB: reverse engineer existing schemas into interactive ER diagrams, model changes visually, and generate reviewed SQL scripts before deployment.

DbSchema is built for visual modeling, schema documentation, and deployment. Keep an offline model in Git, collaborate across teams, and publish documentation that developers, analysts, and stakeholders can navigate in minutes.

DbSchema Database Designer

Download DbSchema See HSQLDB Features Download HSQLDB JDBC Driver

What happens after you download?

Get to your first HSQLDB schema diagram in minutes. No account, no credit card.

1
Install in minutes

Download the installer for Windows, macOS, or Linux and launch DbSchema. No signup required.

2
Connect to HSQLDB or open a sample

Reverse engineer an existing HSQLDB database or open a sample model to explore tables, relationships, and indexes.

3
Design, document, and deploy

Edit schema visually, generate documentation, and prepare reviewed migration scripts for safer releases.

Get Started Free

HSQLDB (HyperSQL Database) is a compact, standards-compliant SQL database written entirely in Java. It has long served as the embedded database for Java desktop applications, legacy Java EE components, and unit testing frameworks such as DBUnit. Its small footprint and full SQL-92 compliance make it well-suited for testing complex queries, but the absence of a built-in visual interface means schema work is typically done in code. DbSchema brings a graphical schema designer to HSQLDB with support for file-based, in-memory, and server-mode connections.

Work on HSQLDB Schemas Without a Running Application

File-based HSQLDB databases can be opened directly in DbSchema even when the application that owns them is offline. This makes it practical to review, document, or modify a schema outside the normal application lifecycle — particularly useful for legacy systems where schema changes are still applied manually through DDL scripts.

Download DbSchema Free See HSQLDB Features

DbSchema opening an HSQLDB file database in disconnected mode

Edit Table Structure with a Visual Editor

The table editor provides a form-based interface for defining columns, selecting types, setting nullable flags, specifying default values, and configuring constraints. HSQLDB-specific types such as LONGVARCHAR and BINARY appear in the type picker alongside standard SQL types, reducing the need to consult the HSQLDB SQL guide for each change.

Table editor modifying column definitions in an HSQLDB schema

Generate Test Data for HSQLDB Schemas

When HSQLDB is used as a test database, it needs data that exercises edge cases in business logic. DbSchema's data generator respects foreign key constraints and lets you configure per-column generation rules — regular expressions, enumerated value sets, date ranges, and numeric distributions — to produce data that mirrors the shape of production records.

Data generator creating test rows for an HSQLDB database

Connecting to HSQLDB

For file-based databases, use jdbc:hsqldb:file:/path/to/db. For in-memory databases, use jdbc:hsqldb:mem:mymemdb. For server mode, use jdbc:hsqldb:hsql://host:9001/dbname after starting the HSQLDB server with java -jar hsqldb.jar --database.0 file:mydb --dbname.0 mydb. DbSchema includes the HSQLDB JDBC driver, so no additional download is required for standard HSQLDB versions.

Why Use DbSchema with HSQLDB

  • Open HSQLDB file databases without launching the host application
  • Design schemas visually and generate DDL scripts for deployment or migration
  • Populate test databases with constraint-aware synthetic data
  • Document legacy HSQLDB schemas that have no existing ERD
  • Compare HSQLDB test schemas against production databases to catch structural drift