MySQL Query Browser is a tool to help developers write SQL queries and analyze data in a graphical environment as opposed to the traditional command-line utility. It's released under MySQL AB's "dual licensing" model, and is available for download at http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/query-browser/. I'm reviewing version 1.1.10.

Some of MySQL Query Browser's features include: a history tab which tracks recently executed queries, a bookmark tab which allows the user to save and access commonly used queries, an information tab to make documentation and syntax help readily available, allowing the user to edit a result set, a table editor interface to create and modify table structures, the ability to compare result sets and more.

I'm a casual database developer so one of the two features I use the most are the ability to edit a result set and the table editor interface.

It's certainly much easier select some data, click an edit button, directly change as many fields as I like and then click an apply changes button and have those changes reflected in the database without having to write an UPDATE or DELETE query.

With the table editor interface, a few clicks of the mouse allow me to easily add, change or delete columns, define indexes and set data types. I like how the first column data type defaults to an UNSIGNED INTEGER (which can easily be changed, but is great for those id columns!), and the data type field itself auto-completes as I type.

There are features that will undoubtedly more life easier for more advanced database users too, but I just haven't had a need to use them in my activities. There is a script editor and debugger and the ability to compare result sets to determine where records have been inserted, modified or deleted.

The program definitely gives me more than a really cool lightening bolt icon on my Windows desktop. It provides me with a fast, easy and efficient way to manage my databases and their contents. I definitely recommend MySQL Query Browser.

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