TiDB HTAP Schemas on One Diagram

Connect DbSchema to TiDB and turn the live schema into an editable visual model: explore relationships in interactive ER diagrams, plan changes on the canvas, and generate reviewed SQL scripts for deployment.

The workflow is designed for fast schema design, query iteration, and safe MySQL-compatible deployments — keep an offline model in Git, collaborate across teams, and publish documentation that developers, analysts, and stakeholders can navigate in minutes.

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TiDB's Distributed HTAP Architecture and Schema Visualization

TiDB is a distributed Hybrid Transactional and Analytical Processing (HTAP) database developed by PingCAP. Its architecture separates compute (TiDB SQL layer) from storage, with TiKV providing row-oriented storage for OLTP workloads and TiFlash providing columnar replica storage for OLAP workloads. Both storage engines are kept consistent via the Raft consensus protocol, so analytical queries on TiFlash always read fresh, consistent data without the lag typically associated with ETL pipelines.

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TiDB exposes a MySQL-compatible SQL interface on port 4000 (note: not MySQL's standard port 3306). DbSchema connects via the MySQL Connector/J driver and reverse-engineers the full schema — tables, views, indexes, and TiFlash replica definitions — into a visual diagram. Because TiDB handles automatic sharding (called region splitting) transparently, the schema diagram looks identical to what you would see with a single-node MySQL database, abstracting away the distributed internals.

Writing SQL Against TiDB's MySQL-Compatible Interface

TiDB is compatible with the MySQL 5.7 and 8.0 protocol and SQL syntax, which means standard MySQL queries — joins, subqueries, window functions, CTEs, full-text search — work without modification. DbSchema's SQL editor sends queries via MySQL Connector/J and returns results in the built-in grid. You can run both transactional OLTP queries against TiKV and analytical OLAP queries that TiDB automatically routes to TiFlash replicas, all from the same query tab.

TiDB-specific SQL hints such as /*+ READ_FROM_STORAGE(TIFLASH[table]) */ can be added directly in the SQL editor to force columnar execution for analytical workloads, while EXPLAIN ANALYZE shows the distributed query plan including which operators ran on TiKV versus TiFlash. This level of query plan visibility helps you optimize hybrid workloads that mix row reads and aggregation-heavy analytics.

Exploring TiDB Table Data Across OLTP and OLAP Replicas

The DbSchema data explorer connects to TiDB and presents table data as a paginated grid. Filter by column values and inspect individual rows from any TiDB table, regardless of whether that table has a TiFlash columnar replica enabled. This is useful for validating that TiFlash replication has converged after initially adding a replica to a large table.

TiDB Cloud, PingCAP's managed service, provides the same MySQL-compatible connection interface, so the same DbSchema connection profile works for both self-hosted TiDB clusters and TiDB Cloud Serverless or Dedicated tiers. The data explorer's CSV export makes it straightforward to pull samples from the columnar replica for comparison with expected analytical results.

Connect DbSchema to TiDB in Four Steps

TiDB's MySQL-compatible interface means the connection setup follows a familiar path, with one port difference to watch for:

1. Install DbSchema — the download requires no account.
2. Start a new connection and select MySQL as the database type; DbSchema includes MySQL Connector/J (com.mysql.cj.jdbc.Driver) by default.
3. Enter the TiDB host and port 4000 — not MySQL's standard 3306 — so the JDBC URL reads jdbc:mysql://tidb-host:4000/mydb. Entering the wrong port is the most common connection error when setting up TiDB for the first time.
4. Connect. DbSchema reverse-engineers tables, views, indexes, and TiFlash replica definitions into the diagram automatically.

For TiDB Cloud connections, copy the connection string from the TiDB Cloud console. It will include the cluster hostname, port 4000, and require SSL. Add ?useSSL=true&requireSSL=true to the JDBC URL or configure SSL in the DbSchema connection dialog's advanced settings. The TiDB root user password is set during cluster creation; there is no default empty password as there is with some local MySQL installations.

TiDB Teams Choose DbSchema for These Reasons

• Visualizes TiDB's HTAP schema including TiFlash replica configurations alongside standard table definitions.
• Enables both OLTP and OLAP query authoring from a single SQL editor connected to a single database endpoint.
• Leverages the familiar MySQL Connector/J path — teams already using MySQL tooling need minimal setup changes.
• Makes distributed query plans from EXPLAIN ANALYZE easier to review in the results grid.
• Supports TiDB Cloud connections with the same profile format, unifying on-premises and cloud management.
• Generates offline schema documentation for distributed SQL databases, which are often harder to document than single-node RDBMS instances.

See your TiKV and TiFlash tables in one place instead of piecing them together from cluster metadata. Download DbSchema for free and diagram your TiDB HTAP schema in minutes, self-hosted or on TiDB Cloud.