Back to articles list
Want to start your next Oracle database project? Find out the best Oracle ER diagram tool and save yourself some time and extra work!
Oracle is one of the best and most popular database management systems (DBMSs) in the world. Many database architects prefer to use Oracle because of its easy networking and interaction, cross-platform service, simple administration and maintenance, and other benefits. On the other hand, an ER diagram (entity-relationship diagram) is an essential tool for data modeling. So it's worth finding the best ERD tool for Oracle to use on your next project.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the most popular data modeling tools for the Oracle database.
7 Great ERD Tools for Oracle Database Modeling
1. Vertabelo
Vertabelo is a modern online ERD tool that supports data modeling for Oracle and many other databases (including MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, etc.). It provides a clean, modern, and responsive user interface (UI) and supports popular notations like Crow's Foot, IDEF1X, and UML to draw your logical and physical models.
This data modeler comes with many modern features, such as SQL generation, reverse engineering, and model validation. You can create or remove all selected elements from your ER diagram in your physical database with the SQL generation feature. Also, you can import an existing database to the Vertabelo ERD tool using the reverse engineering feature and modify it using the online data modeling features. Finally, Vertabelo validates your logical and physical ER data models against the selected database management system (DBMS). You can read more on Vertabelo model validation here.
As an online ERD tool for Oracle, Vertabelo allows you to share your models with others, including customers or partners who do not have Vertabelo accounts. Learn more about How Vertabelo supports collaboration here.
2. Visual Paradigm
Visual Paradigm is an online multi-diagramming tool that provides different notations to draw various diagrams, including ER diagrams. Visual Paradigm supports many popular DBMSs like Oracle, MySQL, SQL Server, and Sybase.
This ERD tool for Oracle supports drawing conceptual, logical, and physical data models. It provides a clean and modern user interface with the required notations, including Crow's Foot.
The 'Table Record Editor' is a unique feature that lets you enter sample records into the entities and understand the data formats inserted into the database. This ERD tool's 'Model Transitor' feature saves time by deriving logical and physical models from their upper levels, without the need to create them from scratch.
You can use this ERD tool to create DDL files from the selected entities or the entire model; this will automatically create the physical database elements for an Oracle database. Also, you can patch revisions made in the data model into the physical database with this tool. You can use the reverse engineering feature to import an existing database to it and edit it visually.
3. Navicat
Navicat comes as an offline ERD tool for Oracle. It supports many other DBMSs, such as MySQL, SQL Server, and MariaDB. This tool is available in Windows, macOS, and Linux versions.
This ERD tool comes with Crow's Foot, IDEF1X, and UML notations. Its user-friendly interface allows you to draw all data models, from conceptual to physical. Also, the tool provides automated features to create logical and physical models from their upper levels, which saves time.
Navicat’s reverse engineering feature lets you import and modify physical databases, while its 'Export SQL' feature generates SQL scripts from each component of the physical data model.
4. SqlDBM
SqlDBM is an online ERD tool for Oracle (and SQL Server, MySQL, Amazon Redshift, etc.) that supports collaborative work among distributed teams. Users can log in from anywhere and on any platform. Also, this tool supports many other popular databases. As with other ER diagram solutions, you can model conceptual to physical data models using notations like Crow's Foot and IDEF1X.
This modeler allows you to automatically create DDL files from your physical data model. The reverse engineering feature lets you copy–paste or upload SQL DDL scripts generated from a physical database to create a data model. It also facilitates version control.
5. Astah Professional
Astah Professional is an offline multi-diagramming tool. It allows you to create ER diagrams as well as UML and data flow diagrams and many others. It’s available in macOS, Windows, Ubuntu, and CentOS versions.
As an ERD tool for Oracle, Astah Professional provides Crow's Foot and IDEF1X notations. You can export the components of your data model to SQL (SQL-92) with the 'Export Excel' feature. There’s also a reverse engineering feature so you can import an existing database into the tool.
Astah Professional is an offline program suitable for individual work. It does not directly support remote collaboration like an online tool would.
6. Lucidchart
Lucidchart is another multi-diagramming online tool that facilitates drawing ER diagrams. It supports Oracle and many other databases as well as Salesforce.
You can draw your ER diagram in Lucidchart manually or generate it automatically by importing data. If you draw it manually, the tool has templates and a shapes library to make things faster.
With this ERD tool, you can generate SQL scripts to export your data model to Oracle and other supported DBMSs. Lucidchart also provides you with many options to share your models with others.
7. ERDPlus
ERDPlus is another ERD tool for Oracle. It’s an online solution with all the required features and notations to draw your conceptual to physical ER diagrams. In addition to Oracle, ERDPlus supports MySQL, IBM DB2, SQL Server, Postgres, and many other popular databases. Also, there’s an automated feature to create a physical model from a logical ER diagram.
ERDPlus creates SQL scripts to automate building your Oracle database from a physical model. In addition, this online ERD tool lets you export your diagrams in many different formats.
This tool is suitable for modeling your data from scratch, but it does not support reverse engineering.
What's the Best ERD Tool for Oracle?
Many online and offline ERD tools are available to model your data for Oracle databases. When choosing the best, you must consider many factors. Let’s briefly summarize what to look for in your ER diagram tool before we close this article.
In the modern database industry, it's vital to have efficient data modeling. Any good tool should save time and cost while supporting collaborative work, easy data modeling via a clean and contemporary UI, a comprehensive range of supported DBMSs, etc. For these reasons, online ERD tools that offer model sharing and collaborative features (like Vertabelo, SqlDBM, etc.) are at the top of my list. I’d also add that automated features like DDL generation and reverse engineering save a lot of time and bother.
So, when you look for a data modeling tool for your next Oracle database project, keep these things in mind.
