Overview — DBML Pro manual

DBML Pro turns database schemas into a navigable editing and diagramming workspace. Edit DBML, inspect relationships, compare revisions, import existing schemas or CSV data, and export diagrams, code, and documentation.

Requirements#

IDE compatibility: IntelliJ IDEA 2025.3.1+. Check the Marketplace list for other editions and their supported versions.

The documented release is 2026.2.4. Its Marketplace compatibility starts at IntelliJ Platform build 253.29346. Check the Marketplace compatibility list for your IDE edition and version before installing.

Open a project containing .dbml files. Editing and diagrams do not need a live database. Reverse engineering and comparison with live data sources require IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate or DataGrip. Optional dbdiagram synchronization needs Node.js 22.14 or later and the official dbdiagram CLI.

Start here#

Begin with A schema design walkthrough for a complete example project and a guided first workflow.

Install DBML Pro, then follow Schemas and diagrams. The configuration reference explains where to adjust the behavior for your project.

In this manual#

Schemas and diagrams — Write a schema and explore relationships, views, and lineage.
Import, export, and synchronize — Bring in existing schemas and share diagrams and documentation.

Feature guides#

Start here#

Begin with A schema design walkthrough for a complete example project and a guided first workflow.

A schema design walkthrough — Build a small shop schema, inspect it visually, and make a safe change.

Schema editing#

Tables, keys, and reusable partials — Model defaults, checks, enums, composite keys, and shared columns.
Relationships and optionality — Read foreign-key direction, composite endpoints, and one-to-one cardinality.
Modules, aliases, and visibility — Split a schema into modules without losing completion or safe refactoring.
Inspections and quick fixes — Practice missing-symbol fixes and diagnose invalid relationships.

Diagram workspace#

Diagram views, layouts, and navigation — Create focused views and understand what the diagram is showing.
Lineage, sample records, and notes — Explain data flow and business context alongside the schema.

Import and export#

Importing SQL, Prisma, and CSV — Review dialect conversion and type inference before adopting imported DBML.
Exports and dbdiagram synchronization — Produce code and documentation, then review remote synchronization.

Schema review#

Database and Git comparison — Review schema drift and semantic changes before changing a database.

Current limitations#

Live database integrations depend on the host IDE edition. Importers can encounter SQL statements or dialect constructs they cannot represent; review the import report rather than assuming a lossless migration. Pushing a schema or publishing dbdocs changes a remote service.

Release reference#

These instructions target the published 2026.2.4 release. Check the version under Settings → Plugins → Installed if your IDE behaves differently. For setup failures, start with troubleshooting.