Rails Schema Navigator

Navigate Rails db/structure.sql and db/schema.rb visually — search tables, trace foreign keys, inspect PostgreSQL enums and views, compare columns, and jump to ActiveRecord models. Built for Ruby on Rails developers using VS Code and Cursor.

Turn a 2,000-line PostgreSQL dump or Rails schema file into a searchable UI — tables, columns, foreign keys, constraints, PostgreSQL enums, views, join tables, and one-click jumps to app/models.

Works in VS Code and Cursor. This extension is Rails-only (not Prisma, MySQL dumps, or generic SQL).

Why use it

Requirements

• VS Code 1.85+ or Cursor
• A Rails project with db/structure.sql or db/schema.rb in the workspace

Install

From VS Code Marketplace

1. Open Extensions (Cmd+Shift+X / Ctrl+Shift+X)
2. Search Rails Schema Navigator
3. Click Install
4. Open a Rails repo that contains a schema file

Or from the command line:

code --install-extension prashantbangar03.rails-schema-navigator

From VSIX (offline)

If you have a VSIX file:

code --install-extension /path/to/rails-schema-navigator.VSIX

Reload the window after installing.

Quick start

1. Open a Rails app in VS Code / Cursor
2. Press Cmd+Alt+S (macOS) or Ctrl+Alt+S (Windows/Linux)
   — or run Rails Schema Navigator: Open from the Command Palette
3. Click a table in the sidebar to inspect columns, constraints, and FKs

From the editor

• Open db/structure.sql or db/schema.rb → click the database icon in the editor title bar
• Open any app/models/*.rb file (not concerns) → Open from Model jumps to that table

Features

Schema sources

• db/structure.sql — PostgreSQL dump (tables, views, PG enums, domains, indexes, constraints)
• db/schema.rb — Rails schema DSL including create_enum / t.enum

Sidebar

• Tables — click to open detail view; join tables show ⇄
• Views — PostgreSQL views (from structure.sql)
• Search — filter tables and columns; press / to focus search

Search prefixes:

Table detail

Collapsible sections per table (state saved per table):

• Columns — type, NOT NULL, DEFAULT, UNIQUE, index chips, enum values
• Table constraints — indexes, unique, partial indexes, CHECK, exclude
• Incoming / outgoing FKs — click to navigate to related tables
• Many-to-many — join tables linking two entities

Header actions

• Compare — side-by-side column comparison with another table
• Open model — opens app/models/... when a model exists (including join/pivot models)
• Copy name — copies the table name

Rails integration

• Scans app/models for Rails enums and shows them on columns
• Open model from table header
• Open explorer from model from the model editor title bar
• Join table detection (strict joins and named pivots like apis_channels)

Multi-project workspaces

When several Rails apps are in one workspace:

• Header project picker (30% width) + table search (70%)
• Rails Schema Navigator: Switch Project from Command Palette
• Optionally follow the active editor (see Settings)

Stale schema banner

If the schema file is older than recent migrations:

• Copy rails db:structure:dump (or equivalent) command
• Open schema file
• Run dump in terminal
• Refresh explorer

Keyboard shortcuts

* When the explorer panel is focused.

Settings

Open Settings and search for schemaExplorer.

Limitations

Privacy

This extension:

• Reads schema and model files locally from your workspace
• Does not send data to external servers
• Does not include telemetry or analytics
• Stores UI preferences (sidebar width, collapsed sections) in webview localStorage only

Keyboard shortcut notes

Default shortcuts may conflict with other extensions or custom keybindings:

Rebind under Keyboard Shortcuts → search Rails Schema Navigator.

License

MIT License