head to head · open source
DBeaver vs sqlkit
DBeaver has 51,791 GitHub stars, 4,371 forks, 3,334 open issues and last shipped yesterday. sqlkit has 505 stars, 12 forks, 2 open issues and last shipped yesterday. DBeaver leads on adoption by 10,156% (51,791 vs 505 stars). DBeaver is written in Java under Apache-2.0; sqlkit is written in Rust under Apache-2.0. DBeaver has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, sqlkit 2%. DBeaver was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 3 topic tags (databricks, db2, 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 | sqlkit | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 52K | ★ 505 |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Java | Rust |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.4K | ⑂ 12 |
| 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 sqlkit if
- You want the sqlkit 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 sqlkit 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 sqlkit
SqlKit is an Apache 2.0 licensed, cross platform desktop SQL client built in Rust on Tauri that combines a native GUI for more than 70 database engines with an agentic AI assistant, aimed at developers, data engineers, and analysts who work across many database systems and want a lightweight, privacy first alternative to heavyweight commercial clients.
read the full sqlkit overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is DBeaver or sqlkit more popular?
DBeaver has 51,791 GitHub stars and sqlkit has 505. DBeaver has the larger community by that measure.
Are DBeaver and sqlkit free?
Both are open source. DBeaver is licensed under Apache-2.0 and sqlkit under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between DBeaver and sqlkit?
DBeaver is written in Java and sqlkit 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 sqlkit?
Choose DBeaver if you want the larger community (51,791 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose sqlkit if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.