head to head · open source
DBeaver vs realm-swift
DBeaver has 51,797 GitHub stars, 4,372 forks, 3,334 open issues and last shipped today. realm-swift has 16,609 stars, 2,241 forks, 499 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. DBeaver leads on adoption by 212% (51,797 vs 16,609 stars). DBeaver is written in Java under Apache-2.0; realm-swift is written in Objective-C under Apache-2.0. DBeaver has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, realm-swift 13%. DBeaver was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (database), 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 | realm-swift | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 52K | ★ 17K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Java | Objective-C |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.4K | ⑂ 2.2K |
| 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 realm-swift if
- You want the realm-swift feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Objective-C
- You evaluated both and realm-swift 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 realm-swift
Realm Database is a mobile database that runs directly inside phones, tablets, and wearables, and it is for iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS developers who need a replacement for Core Data and SQLite.
read the full realm-swift overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is DBeaver or realm-swift more popular?
DBeaver has 51,797 GitHub stars and realm-swift has 16,609. DBeaver has the larger community by that measure.
Are DBeaver and realm-swift free?
Both are open source. DBeaver is licensed under Apache-2.0 and realm-swift under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between DBeaver and realm-swift?
DBeaver is written in Java and realm-swift in Objective-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 realm-swift?
Choose DBeaver if you want the larger community (51,797 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose realm-swift if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.