help/index.md

SQL Developer Help Center

Connection errors, authentication problems, or just trying to get your data exported? We've got fixes and step-by-step guides for all of it.

Fix a Problem Browse FAQ

faq.md

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions about SQL Developer

▶-- Q1:How do I connect to my database?

1. Click the green + icon in the Connections panel
2. Select your database type (Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.)
3. Enter your hostname, port, username, and password
4. Click Test to verify, then Connect

Need more detail? See our step-by-step setup guide.

▶-- Q2:What databases are supported?

SQL Developer connects to:

Oracle Database (11g+) · MySQL (5.7+) · PostgreSQL (9.6+) · SQL Server (2012+) · SQLite (3.x) · MariaDB (10.1+)

▶-- Q3:Is SQL Developer free?

Yes. SQL Developer is completely free for personal and commercial use. Download it here — no account or login required.

▶-- Q4:How do I export query results?

After running a query, right-click on the results grid and select Export. Choose your format (CSV, Excel, JSON, XML, or SQL INSERT statements) and save.

See our step-by-step export guide for detailed instructions.

▶-- Q5:What are the system requirements?

OS: Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
RAM: 4GB minimum, 8GB recommended
Disk: 500MB free space
Java: Bundled with download (no separate install needed)

▶-- Q6:How do I run a SQL script?

Open your .sql file with File → Open, select a database connection, then press F5 to run the entire script or Ctrl+Enter to run a single statement.

See our complete guide to running SQL scripts.

▶-- Q7:How do I format SQL code?

Press Ctrl+F7 (Windows) or Cmd+F7 (Mac) to instantly format your SQL. Customize formatting rules in Tools → Preferences → Code Editor → Format.

See our SQL formatting guide for more options.

▶-- Q8:What are the keyboard shortcuts?

Ctrl+Enter: Run current statement
F5: Run entire script
Ctrl+F7: Format SQL
Ctrl+Space: Auto-complete

See our full keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet.

PROBLEMS panel

Troubleshooting

Solutions to common problems

Command Palette · ⌘P

How Do I...?

Pick what you're trying to do

Connect to a Database

› connect mysqlMySQLNeed to download the JDBC driver first - we'll show you how. › connect postgresqlPostgreSQLLocal, Heroku, AWS RDS - all covered here. › setup first-timeFirst Time SetupNew to SQL Developer? Start here for the basics.

Work with Data

› import csvImport CSV or ExcelGot a spreadsheet? Load it into a table in a few clicks. › export csvExport to CSVGet your query results out as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML. › run scriptRun a .sql FileOpen a script file and run it - F5 for the whole thing, Ctrl+Enter for one query.

Work Faster

› shortcutsKeyboard ShortcutsThe cheat sheet. Ctrl+Enter, F5, Ctrl+F7 - all the good ones. › format sqlFormat Messy SQLOne shortcut (Ctrl+F7) to clean up ugly queries.

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