head to head · open source
DBeaver vs OceanBase
DBeaver has 51,791 GitHub stars, 4,371 forks, 3,334 open issues and last shipped yesterday. OceanBase has 10,280 stars, 1,919 forks, 599 open issues and last shipped yesterday. DBeaver leads on adoption by 404% (51,791 vs 10,280 stars). DBeaver is written in Java under Apache-2.0; OceanBase is written in C++ under Apache-2.0. DBeaver has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, OceanBase 19%. DBeaver was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (database, mysql), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| DBeaver | OceanBase | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 52K | ★ 10K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Java | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.4K | ⑂ 1.9K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick DBeaver if
- You weight community size — 52K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick OceanBase if
- You want the OceanBase feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and OceanBase fits your workflow better
About DBeaver
DBeaver is a free, multi platform database management tool built in Java, designed for developers, SQL programmers, database administrators, and analysts. It operates across Windows, macOS, and Linux and integrates with the Eclipse based plugin ecosystem via OSGi and Eclipse RCP frameworks.
read the full DBeaver overview →
About OceanBase
OceanBase is an open source distributed relational database written in C++ and licensed under Apache 2.0. It is developed by Ant Group and built on a common server cluster, using the Paxos protocol and a distributed structure to provide high availability and linear scalability. The project belongs to the MySQL compatible distributed database ecosystem, and its README presents it as a unified engine for demanding workloads.
read the full OceanBase overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is DBeaver or OceanBase more popular?
DBeaver has 51,791 GitHub stars and OceanBase has 10,280. DBeaver has the larger community by that measure.
Are DBeaver and OceanBase free?
Both are open source. DBeaver is licensed under Apache-2.0 and OceanBase under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between DBeaver and OceanBase?
DBeaver is written in Java and OceanBase in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, DBeaver or OceanBase?
Choose DBeaver if you want the larger community (51,791 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose OceanBase if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.