head to head · open source
DBeaver vs usql
DBeaver has 51,797 GitHub stars, 4,372 forks, 3,334 open issues and last shipped today. usql has 10,118 stars, 406 forks, 121 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. DBeaver leads on adoption by 412% (51,797 vs 10,118 stars). DBeaver is written in Java under Apache-2.0; usql is written in Go under MIT. DBeaver has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, usql 4%. DBeaver was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 3 topic tags (database, mysql, oracle), 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 | usql | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 52K | ★ 10K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Java | Go |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-13 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.4K | ⑂ 406 |
| 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 usql if
- You want the usql feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and usql 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 usql
usql is a universal command line interface for PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle Database, SQLite3, Microsoft SQL Server and many other SQL and NoSQL databases, built for database administrators and developers who want the familiar psql experience when working against databases other than PostgreSQL.
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Frequently asked questions
Is DBeaver or usql more popular?
DBeaver has 51,797 GitHub stars and usql has 10,118. DBeaver has the larger community by that measure.
Are DBeaver and usql free?
Both are open source. DBeaver is licensed under Apache-2.0 and usql under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between DBeaver and usql?
DBeaver is written in Java and usql in Go. 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 usql?
Choose DBeaver if you want the larger community (51,797 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose usql if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.