QuickDB User Guide

A DataGrip-inspired database management extension for Visual Studio Code. Browse tables, run queries, manage schemas, and visualize ERDs - all from your editor.

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Table of Contents

1. Getting Started
2. Supported Databases
3. Connection Management
4. Table Viewer
5. Query Console
6. Visual Query Builder
7. Table Manager
8. Data Compare
9. Copy to Database
10. MCP Server Integration
11. Chat Commands (@quickdb)
12. Keyboard Shortcuts
13. Troubleshooting

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Getting Started

Installation

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. Search for "QuickDB"
4. Click Install

After installation, a QuickDB icon appears in the Activity Bar (sidebar). Click it to open the Connections panel.

Quick Start

1. Click the + icon in the Connections panel or run QuickDB: Add Connection from the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
2. Select your database type and fill in connection details
3. Click Test connection to verify
4. Click Create connection to save
5. Your connection appears in the tree view - click any table to browse data

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Supported Databases

QuickDB supports both SQL and NoSQL databases:

Database	Type	Default Port	Notes
SQLite	SQL	N/A	File-based, supports :memory:
MySQL	SQL	3306	Full INFORMATION_SCHEMA support
PostgreSQL	SQL	5432	SSL/TLS supported
MongoDB	NoSQL	27017	Connection string or host/port
Redis	NoSQL	6379	All data types (strings, hashes, lists, sets, sorted sets)

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Connection Management

Adding a Connection

1. Open the QuickDB sidebar
2. Click the + button or run QuickDB: Add Connection
3. Select the database type from the 5 available options
4. Fill in the required fields:

SQLite:

• Connection name
• Database file path (use Browse... to select)
• Supports .db, .sqlite, .sqlite3 files
• Use :memory: for an in-memory database

MySQL / PostgreSQL:

• Connection name
• Host (default: localhost)
• Port (MySQL: 3306, PostgreSQL: 5432)
• Username / Password
• Database name
• SSL/TLS toggle

MongoDB:

• Connection name
• Option A: Host, Port, Username, Password, Database
• Option B: Full connection string (mongodb://...)
• SSL/TLS toggle

Redis:

• Connection name
• Host (default: localhost)
• Port (default: 6379)
• Password (optional)
• Database index (0-15)
• SSL/TLS toggle

Color Coding

Assign a color to each connection for quick visual distinction:

Color	Suggested Use
Red	Production
Orange	Staging
Yellow	Warning
Green	Development
Blue	Default
Purple	Testing

Production connections (red) show a warning indicator in the tree view.

Editing & Removing Connections

• Edit: Right-click a connection > Edit Connection
• Remove: Right-click a connection > Remove Connection
• Refresh: Right-click a connection > Refresh, or press F5

Filtering Tables

Filter tables instantly per database:

1. Expand a connection in the sidebar
2. Type in the Find table... input box directly below the connection name
3. The list of tables will filter live as you type

Table Viewer

The Table Viewer is the primary data browsing interface. Click any table in the sidebar tree to open it.

View Modes

Switch between 4 view modes using the toolbar buttons:

Mode	Icon	Description
Table	#	Standard grid view (default)
Transpose	T	Rows displayed as columns
Text	A	Plain text / export-ready format
Tree	>	Hierarchical tree view

Editing Data

• Edit a cell: Click on a cell and type the new value
• Add a row: Click + Add in the toolbar or press Ctrl+N
• Delete rows: Select rows (click the checkbox), then click - Delete or press Del
• Set NULL: Right-click a cell > Set NULL (Ctrl+Alt+N)
• Duplicate Row: Right-click a cell > Duplicate Row

Saving Changes

• Save: Click Save or press Ctrl+S - applies all pending changes to the database
• Discard: Click Discard to undo all pending changes
• Preview SQL: Right-click > Preview SQL Changes (Ctrl+P) to see the generated DML statements before applying

The status bar shows the number of pending changes.

Value Editor

For editing long text, JSON, or complex values:

1. Select a cell
2. Press Shift+Enter or right-click > Open in Value Editor
3. A side panel opens with a full text editor
4. Edit the value and click Confirm

Single Record View

View one row at a time in a form layout:

1. Select a cell
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter or right-click > View as Single Record
3. Navigate between rows using the arrow buttons
4. Edit values inline

Go To Row

Jump to a specific row:

1. Press Ctrl+G or click Go To in the toolbar
2. Enter the row number
3. The table scrolls to and selects that row

Aggregate View

View aggregate statistics for selected data:

1. Select one or more rows (click checkboxes)
2. Click the Agg button in the toolbar
3. Shows count, sum, average, min, max of numeric values

Filtering & Sorting

Global Search: Type in the search bar to filter across all columns.

Column Filters:

1. Click + Filter to add a column-specific filter
2. Select the column, operator, and value
3. Multiple filters can be combined

Sorting: Click any column header to sort. Click again to toggle ascending/descending.

Exporting Data

• CSV: Click the CSV button in the toolbar
• JSON: Click the JSON button in the toolbar

Context Menu

Right-click any cell to access:

• Copy / Copy as JSON
• Set NULL
• Open in Value Editor
• View as Single Record
• Duplicate Row
• Preview SQL Changes
• Delete Row

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Query Console

Run arbitrary queries against your database.

SQL Databases (SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL)

Write standard SQL queries:

SELECT * FROM users WHERE role = 'admin';
INSERT INTO products (name, price) VALUES ('Widget', 9.99);
UPDATE users SET role = 'moderator' WHERE id = 5;

MongoDB

Use the db.collection.method() syntax:

db.users.find({"role": "admin"})
db.users.findOne({"_id": "abc123"})
db.users.insertOne({"name": "Alice", "role": "user"})
db.users.updateOne({"_id": "abc123"}, {"$set": {"role": "admin"}})
db.users.deleteOne({"_id": "abc123"})
db.users.countDocuments({"role": "user"})
db.users.aggregate([{"$group": {"_id": "$role", "count": {"$sum": 1}}}])

Supported methods: find, findOne, insertOne, insertMany, updateOne, updateMany, deleteOne, deleteMany, countDocuments, aggregate, distinct

Redis

Use standard Redis commands:

GET mykey
SET mykey "hello world"
DEL mykey
KEYS user:*
HGETALL myhash
HSET myhash field1 "value1"
LRANGE mylist 0 -1
LPUSH mylist "item1"
SMEMBERS myset
SADD myset "member1"
ZRANGE myzset 0 -1 WITHSCORES
TYPE mykey
TTL mykey
INFO
DBSIZE
PING

Query Results

• Results display in a table below the query editor
• Column names and row counts are shown
• Execution time is displayed
• Errors appear with descriptive messages

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Visual Query Builder

Build complex SQL queries visually without writing code.

Opening the Query Builder

• Right-click a connection in the sidebar > Query Builder
• Or click the Query Builder icon (ConsoleSqlOutlined) when hovering over a connection

Features

• Drag and Drop Tables: Select tables from the sidebar to add them to your query.
• Select Columns: Choose which columns to include in your SELECT statement.
• Visual Joins: Define INNER JOIN, LEFT JOIN, RIGHT JOIN, etc. between tables visually.
• Filters (WHERE clause): Add multiple conditions with operators like =, <, >, LIKE, IN, etc.
• Sorting (ORDER BY): Sort results by one or more columns ascending or descending.
• Pagination (LIMIT/OFFSET): Limit the number of rows returned.
• Live SQL Preview: See the generated SQL update in real-time as you build the query.
• Run Query: Execute the built query instantly and view the results in a data grid.

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Table Manager

Create and modify database tables with a visual interface.

Creating a Table

1. Right-click a connection > Create Table
2. Enter the table name
3. Add columns with:
   • Name and data type
   • Primary key / Auto-increment
   • Nullable / Unique constraints
   • Default values
   • Comments (MySQL/PostgreSQL)
   • Character set / Collation (MySQL)
   • Check constraints
   • Generated columns

Managing Tables

You can access these options by Right-Clicking a table or using the Inline Action Icons visible when hovering over a table in the sidebar:

• Edit Table: Opens the visual Table Manager
• Import Data: Import CSV/JSON/SQL/Excel into the table
• Export Data: Export table data to CSV/JSON/SQL/Excel
• Delete Table: Drop the table (with confirmation)
• Rename/Modify Columns: Use the Table Manager Interface

Index Management

• View all indexes for a table
• Create new indexes (unique or non-unique)
• Drop existing indexes

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Data Compare

Compare data between two tables or connections.

1. Open via the Command Palette: QuickDB: Compare Data
2. Select source and target connections/tables
3. View differences highlighted in the comparison grid

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Copy to Database

Copy table data from one database to another.

1. Open via the Command Palette: QuickDB: Copy to Database
2. Select the source table
3. Choose the target connection
4. Configure copy options
5. Click Execute to perform the copy

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MCP Server Integration

QuickDB includes a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables AI tools to interact with your databases.

Starting the MCP Server

The MCP server starts automatically when the extension activates. You can also:

• Start: Command Palette > QuickDB: Start MCP Server
• Stop: Command Palette > QuickDB: Stop MCP Server

Available MCP Tools

Tool	Description	Type
quickdb_list_connections	List all saved database connections	Read
quickdb_list_tables	List tables for a connection	Read
quickdb_describe_table	Get column details for a table	Read
quickdb_execute_query	Execute a read-only SQL/MongoDB/Redis query	Read
quickdb_execute_write	Execute a write SQL query (with confirmation)	Write
quickdb_get_schema	Get full database schema	Read
quickdb_get_rows	Get rows with filtering, sorting, pagination	Read
quickdb_count_rows	Count rows with optional filter	Read
quickdb_search_value	Search for text across columns	Read
quickdb_insert_row	Insert a new row into a table	Write
quickdb_update_rows	Update rows matching a filter	Write
quickdb_delete_rows	Delete rows matching a filter	Write

Cursor IDE Integration

Run QuickDB: Generate .cursorrules to create a .cursorrules file in your workspace that helps Cursor AI understand your database schema.

Configuration

In VS Code Settings (quickdb.mcp):

Setting	Default	Description
mcp.autoStart	true	Auto-start MCP server on activate
mcp.port	3100	Server port
mcp.maxRowsPerQuery	1000	Max rows returned per query

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Chat Commands (@quickdb)

QuickDB provides 12 slash commands for interacting with your databases through GitHub Copilot Chat.

Basic Commands

Command	Description	Usage
/list-connections	List all connections	@quickdb /list-connections
/list-tables	List tables	@quickdb /list-tables
/describe-table	Get table schema	@quickdb /describe-table users
/execute-query	Execute raw SQL	@quickdb /execute-query SELECT * FROM users
/get-schema	Get full database schema	@quickdb /get-schema

Structured Query Commands (No SQL Required)

These commands use interactive prompts to build queries without writing SQL:

Command	Description	Usage
/get-rows	Get rows with filters and sorting	@quickdb /get-rows
/count-rows	Count rows with optional filter	@quickdb /count-rows
/search-value	Search for text in columns	@quickdb /search-value

Data Modification Commands (Require Confirmation)

Command	Description	Usage
/insert-row	Insert a new row	@quickdb /insert-row
/update-rows	Update matching rows	@quickdb /update-rows
/delete-rows	Delete matching rows	@quickdb /delete-rows

Utility Commands

Command	Description	Usage
/history	View and re-run past queries	@quickdb /history

Interactive Prompts

Commands marked as structured guide you through Quick Pick dialogs to:

• Select tables from dropdowns
• Choose columns with multi-select
• Build complex filters with operators: =, !=, >, <, >=, <=, LIKE, IN, IS NULL, IS NOT NULL, BETWEEN
• Add sorting and pagination
• Preview changes before executing

Filter Operators

Operator	Description
= (equals)	Exact match
!= (not equals)	Exclude matches
>, <, >=, <=	Numeric/date comparisons
LIKE (contains)	Text pattern matching (case-insensitive on PostgreSQL)
IN (in list)	Match any value in a comma-separated list
IS NULL / IS NOT NULL	Null checks
BETWEEN (range)	Value between two bounds

Export Results

After viewing query results, click:

• Export as CSV - Save or copy results as CSV
• Export as JSON - Save or copy results as JSON

Query History

The /history command shows your last 20 queries with timestamps and row counts. Select one to view its parameters or clear all history.

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Keyboard Shortcuts

Global

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+Shift+P	Command Palette
F5	Refresh data

Table Viewer

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+S	Save changes
Ctrl+N	Add new row
Ctrl+G	Go to row
Del	Delete selected rows
Shift+Enter	Open Value Editor
Ctrl+Shift+Enter	Single Record View
Ctrl+Alt+N	Set cell to NULL
Ctrl+P	Preview SQL (DML)
Ctrl+C	Copy cell value

Sidebar

Shortcut	Action
Click table	Open Table Viewer
Right-click	Context menu

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Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

SQLite: "Database file not found"

• Ensure the file path is correct and the file exists
• Check file permissions

MySQL/PostgreSQL: "Connection refused"

• Verify the database server is running
• Check host, port, username, and password
• Ensure the database accepts remote connections
• Try enabling SSL if required

MongoDB: "Server selection timed out"

• Check if MongoDB is running
• Verify the connection string format
• Ensure network connectivity to the MongoDB host

Redis: "Connection timeout"

• Verify Redis is running on the specified host/port
• Check if authentication is required
• Ensure the correct database index

General Issues

Extension not loading:

1. Check the VS Code Output panel (View > Output > QuickDB)
2. Reload the window (Ctrl+Shift+P > Reload Window)

Data not refreshing:

• Press F5 to force refresh
• Disconnect and reconnect the connection

Sample Database:

• Use the QuickDB: Open Sample Database command to create an in-memory SQLite database with demo data for testing

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FAQ

Q: Where are connection credentials stored? A: Connections are stored in VS Code's global state (extension storage). Passwords are stored as-is - consider using environment variables for sensitive credentials.

Q: Can I connect to remote databases? A: Yes, for all server-based databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis). Simply enter the remote host and port.

Q: Does QuickDB support SSL/TLS? A: Yes. Toggle the SSL option when creating or editing a connection (available for MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis).

Q: How many rows can I view at once? A: The Table Viewer loads data with pagination. The default limit is configurable. The status bar shows total row count.

Q: Can I use QuickDB with Docker containers? A: Yes. Point the host to localhost and use the exposed port from your Docker container.

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QuickDB - Database management, simplified.