Data Model documentation options

Mike's Notes

Pipi has hundreds of autonomous databases, some with up to 60 tables. The existing Pipi entity engine stores every model, entity, relationship, and column Pipi uses. Developers need a web-based data model explorer to understand the databases they are using. The problem is how to design the user interface. This note examines how other modelling tools present information to develop something familiar and useful for Pipi.

Thanks, Alex, for sending me a list of more potential tools.

Resources

• https://ajabbi.com/eng/reference/index.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_data_modeling_tools
• https://builtin.com/data-science/data-modeling-tools
• https://www.holistics.io/blog/open-source-data-modeling-tools/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_Workbench
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DBeaver
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_Architect_(software)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ER/Studio
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_Data_Modeler
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HeidiSQL
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JetBrains
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MagicDraw
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL_Server_Management_Studio
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ModelRight
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MySQL_Workbench
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navicat
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_SQL_Developer
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PostgreSQL#pgAdmin
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerDesigner
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_Ideas_Modeler
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQLyog
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toad_Data_Modeler

References

• Reference

Repository

• Home > Ajabbi Research > Library >
• Home > Handbook > 

Last Updated

18/04/2025

Article

By: Mike Peters

On a Sandy Beach: 20/04/2025

Mike is the inventor and architect of Pipi and the founder of Ajabbi.

The experimental toy prototypes are here. (The web URLs will likely change in the future)

• https://ajabbi.com/eng/reference/model/index1.html
• https://ajabbi.com/eng/reference/model/index2.html
• https://ajabbi.com/eng/reference/model/index3.html
• https://ajabbi.com/eng/docs/ajabbi-aviation/00001/reference/model/index3.html

Requirements

A data model explorer needs to auto-generate documentation.

These objects are a minimum.

• Database
• Schema
• E/R Diagram
• Data Type
• Table
• Column
• Data Domain
• Relationship
• Primary Keys (PK)
• Foreign Keys (FK)
• Indexes

And be able to provide these model views

• Conceptual
• Logical
• Physical

Other

• Data Dictionary including i18n

Linked data

The model objects need to automatically link to other documentation

• DAO (Data Access Objects)
  
• Ontologies
• Use in workflows
• Variables
• "JavaDocs" style code packages
• i18n object names

Examples

Database Workbench

• https://www.upscene.com/documentation/dbw4/

DBeaver

• https://dbeaver.com/docs/dbeaver/
• https://dbeaver.io/download/

dbDiagram

• https://dbdiagram.io/

dbSchema

• https://dbschema.com/documentation/schema-documentation.html

Drawio

• https://www.drawio.com/blog/insert-sql

DrawSQL

• https://drawsql.app/

Enterprise Architect

• 
  

ERDPlus

• https://www.prospectpressvt.com/textbooks/jukic-database-systems-introduction-to-databases-and-data-warehouses-2-0
• https://erdplus.com/standalone
• https://erdplus.com/

E/R Studio Data Architect

• https://docwiki.embarcadero.com/ERStudioDA/202/en/Data_Model_Explorer

erwin Data Modeller

• 
  

HeidiSQL

• https://www.heidisql.com/

IBM InfoSphere Data Architect

• https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/ida
• https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/materialized-view-support-ibm-infosphere-data-architect-914

JetBrains

• https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/creating-diagrams.html

Luna Modeller

• https://www.datensen.com/data-modeling/luna-modeler-for-relational-databases.html
• https://www.datensen.com/blog/docs/about-luna-modeler-a-database-design-tool-for-relational-databases/

Magic Draw

• 
  

MS SQL Server Management Studio

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms?view=sql-server-ver15

MetaBase

• https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/

Model Right

• https://modelright.com/documentation/help_toc.html

My SQL Workbench

• https://www.mysql.com/products/workbench/design/

Navicat

• https://www.navicat.com/manual/online_manual/en/navicat_data_modeler_4/win_manual/

Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler

• https://docs.oracle.com/en/database/oracle/sql-developer-data-modeler/23.1/index.html

PgAdmin

• 
  

pgModeler

• https://pgmodeler.io/support/docs?v=1.1.0

Power Designer (SAP)

• https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP_POWERDESIGNER/abd3434b4987485c92057ab9392aadbe/c80aa1f76e1b1014b846f1fe124e83a2.html

QuickDBD

• https://app.quickdatabasediagrams.com/#/

Software Ideas Modeller

• 
  

SQLFlow

• https://sqlflow.gudusoft.com/#/
• https://www.dpriver.com/blog/2023/02/convert-sql-into-e-r-diagram-with-sqlflow/

SQuirreL

• https://squirrel-sql.sourceforge.io/

SQLyog

• 
  

Vertabelo Data Modeller

• https://vertabelo.com/documentation/