Does DrawDB store my data on the server?

No. DrawDB keeps diagram state in your browser's localStorage. The Nginx container only serves static HTML/CSS/JavaScript files — your schema never reaches the server. To persist across browsers or devices, export the diagram JSON and commit it to Git or store it on your VPS.

Which SQL dialects can DrawDB generate?

DrawDB generates DDL for MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB and Microsoft SQL Server. Select the dialect in Export → SQL before copying the script. The output includes CREATE TABLE statements with column types, NOT NULL, PRIMARY KEY, FOREIGN KEY and DEFAULT constraints.

Can I import an existing SQL schema?

Yes. Paste your CREATE TABLE statements into DrawDB's SQL import dialog and it reconstructs the entity graph automatically — including detected foreign-key relationships. This makes it easy to document a legacy database or visualise a schema you inherited.

Kick off a software project quickly.

DrawDB

Visual database schema designer — draw tables, define FK relationships and export SQL in seconds.

512 MB RAM 1 vCPU Port 3060 Available

Tech stack

DockerNginxReact

Minimum RAM512 MB

Minimum CPU1 vCPU

Default port3060

Compatible OSChoice of Linux distributions

DrawDB is an open-source entity-relationship diagram (ERD) editor (AGPL-3.0, 39 k+ stars) that runs as a lightweight Nginx container on your VPS. It gives developers and database architects a fast, browser-based canvas to model table structures, define foreign-key relationships and instantly generate SQL DDL scripts for five major database engines.

Everything happens in the browser: table state is stored in localStorage, so the server only serves static files. The Docker image weighs about 30 MB and idles on a few megabytes of RAM — you can run DrawDB alongside other apps on any existing VPS without noticeable overhead.

With DrawDB, a senior developer can sketch a new schema in minutes instead of writing raw CREATE TABLE statements. A team can import an existing SQL dump and instantly visualise the entity graph for documentation or onboarding. Because the diagram JSON is portable, you can commit it to Git, diff schema changes between versions and regenerate the SQL at any time.

Deploying on ServOrbit takes a single click: Docker pulls the image, Nginx starts and your team has a shared, private schema editor — no SaaS account, no usage limits, no data leaving your infrastructure.

Key features

Visual table editor — add tables with columns, types, constraints (PK, FK, NOT NULL, UNIQUE, DEFAULT) and indexes using a drag-and-drop canvas.

Multi-dialect SQL export — generate DDL for MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB and SQL Server from the same diagram in one click.

SQL import — paste existing CREATE TABLE statements and DrawDB reconstructs the full ERD instantly.

FK relationship drawing — connect columns with a line to create FOREIGN KEY constraints; DrawDB draws cardinality arrows and manages ON DELETE / ON UPDATE rules.

Export to PNG, SVG or JSON — save your diagram as an image for documentation or as JSON to commit to Git and restore later.

No server-side database — state lives in browser localStorage; the Nginx container serves only static files, no backend processing.

AGPL-3.0 — open source, no telemetry, no account required.

When to use this solution?

1

Schema design before first migration

Before writing a single Laravel or Django migration, model your entities in DrawDB. You get a visual diagram to share with your team and a DDL SQL script generated instantly — ready to paste into your migration file. DrawDB validates foreign-key consistency as you draw, catching circular dependencies and orphan references before they reach your database.

2

Documenting an existing database

Paste the CREATE TABLE statements from your existing database into DrawDB: it reconstructs the entity graph in seconds. Export to PNG and embed the image in your wiki or README. When the schema evolves, update the JSON and regenerate — documentation stays in sync with your code with no manual diagram maintenance.

3

Schema review and onboarding for junior developers

Share your self-hosted DrawDB instance with junior team members. They visualise table relationships, understand referential integrity constraints and submit schema proposals as JSON files that seniors can compare and review. It replaces whiteboard photos and ad-hoc ERD screenshots with a versioned, interactive artefact.

Deploy DrawDB on your VPS

Guide optimized for ServOrbit Cloud VPS.

01

Order a ServOrbit VPS

A 1 vCPU / 512 MB RAM plan on Ubuntu 24.04 is sufficient. DrawDB is a static web application served by Nginx: it consumes a few megabytes at idle and requires no server-side database. You can co-locate it alongside other containers on any existing 1 GB VPS without noticeable overhead.

02

One-click deploy from the marketplace

Open your ServOrbit control panel, go to Marketplace → Development → DrawDB, and click Deploy. Docker pulls ghcr.io/drawdb-io/drawdb:latest and starts Nginx. The interface is reachable in under 10 seconds — no wizard, no configuration file.

03

Create your first ERD

The interface opens on an empty canvas. Click Add table to create your first entity, name the table and add columns with their types, nullability and default values. Set the PRIMARY KEY column with the key icon. Repeat for each entity in your schema. Use the toolbar grid and snap options to keep the diagram tidy.

04

Define relationships and export SQL

Activate the Relationship tool in the toolbar and draw a line between two columns to create a FOREIGN KEY. DrawDB shows a dialog to configure ON DELETE and ON UPDATE behaviour. When your schema is complete, click Export → SQL, choose your target dialect (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB or SQL Server) and copy the generated DDL into your migration file or database console.

Frequently asked questions

DrawDB is an open-source entity-relationship diagram (ERD) editor (AGPL-3.0, 39 k+ stars). It lets you design database tables visually, define foreign-key relationships and export SQL DDL for MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB and SQL Server — entirely in the browser, with no installation or account required.

No. DrawDB works without a domain: the interface is accessible directly on port 3060. For remote access without exposing that port, open an SSH tunnel (ssh -L 3060:127.0.0.1:3060 root@<your-vps-ip>) and browse to http://localhost:3060.

Embed the deploy button

Maintaining a project that uses DrawDB? This button lets your readers deploy it on a VPS in one click, without reading Docker documentation.

Markdown

[![Deploy DrawDB on ServOrbit](https://servorbit.com/brand/deploy/button.svg)](https://servorbit.com/vps-cloud?template=drawdb&utm_source=deploy-badge&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=drawdb)

HTML

<a href="https://servorbit.com/vps-cloud?template=drawdb&utm_source=deploy-badge&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=drawdb"><img src="https://servorbit.com/brand/deploy/button.svg" alt="Deploy DrawDB on ServOrbit" height="40"></a>

The button points to a VPS order with the template preselected. The image is served from servorbit.com — nothing to host on your side.