head to head · open source
DBeaver vs SlateDB
DBeaver has 51,791 GitHub stars, 4,371 forks, 3,334 open issues and last shipped yesterday. SlateDB has 3,414 stars, 298 forks, 184 open issues and last shipped yesterday. DBeaver leads on adoption by 1,417% (51,791 vs 3,414 stars). DBeaver is written in Java under Apache-2.0; SlateDB is written in Rust under Apache-2.0. DBeaver has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, SlateDB 9%. 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 | SlateDB | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 52K | ★ 3.4K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Java | Rust |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.4K | ⑂ 298 |
| 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 SlateDB if
- You want the SlateDB feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Rust
- You evaluated both and SlateDB 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 SlateDB
SlateDB is an embedded storage engine written in Rust and distributed under the Apache 2.0 license. It is built as a log structured merge tree, and it stores data in object storage rather than on a local disk or dedicated server. The project lives in the Rust and cloud native storage ecosystem, and it exposes a key value interface through a Rust crate.
read the full SlateDB overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is DBeaver or SlateDB more popular?
DBeaver has 51,791 GitHub stars and SlateDB has 3,414. DBeaver has the larger community by that measure.
Are DBeaver and SlateDB free?
Both are open source. DBeaver is licensed under Apache-2.0 and SlateDB under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between DBeaver and SlateDB?
DBeaver is written in Java and SlateDB in Rust. 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 SlateDB?
Choose DBeaver if you want the larger community (51,791 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose SlateDB if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.