Oracle SQL Developer Reviews

It's a free tool which allows you to see an Oracle Database structure and run queries against Oracle Databases.

• It's a free tool
• Ability to analyze performance, using Explain Plan statement
• Ability to export and import data without using any Oracle utilities

It would be nice to have the ability to access DBs than Oracle.

No stability issues.

No scalability issues.

Very good.

I have used tools such as Toad, PL/SQL Developer, SQL Navigator. I switched because this one is free.

Initial set-up was straightforward. Just download the solution from Oracle OTN and after that run the installer.

It’s a free tool.

Toad, SAP ADS, SQL Navigator.

It’s a great tool for accessing and exploring Oracle Databases.

We use it for test queries, before implementing scripts for monitoring. Also, we use it for querying and getting data of the whole environment monitored with our products.

Helps us to test and to develop scripts for monitoring applications.

I only use it for connecting to instances and to do queries, I don't know details of the features.

Queries. 

No stability issues as of yet.

No scalability issues as of yet.

I have not used it.

No, I've always Oracle SQL Developer.

It's very easy to use.

Using execution plan, I am able to do lots of query tuning.

• Easy to use
• Nice interface

Execution plan.

Because it is in Java, sometimes Java crashes the product, and of course there is the total dependence on Java.

I have never stressed the product to find out.

I have never needed to contact technical support.

I used Embarcadero and Toad. I gave up both because one is for every kind of database (I do not believe in this) and the other is only for Oracle, and its IDE is not good.

The initial setup is always a problem, it cannot find the Java SDK.

I have never paid for it, I use open source.

In Brasil, only big companies can use Oracle because of the price. I prefer NoSQL and open source databases.

 Embarcadero and Toad.

Take care during the initial setup and have patience. It can be too heavy and eat your memory.

Export option on query results.

Faster access to DB tables.

Could be made to load faster.

Five years.

No.

No.

No.

Good.

Good.

Yes.

It was easy.

Good.

Good.

No changes required.

No.

Among the most valuable features is the tight integration with database features/options.

• Being able to see all of the database objects.
• Being able to create objects.
• Being able to edit objects.
• Being able to open data models.
• Being able to review AWR and ASH reports.

Standardized tool.

The interface could be friendlier for the DBA by having dashboards, like Enterprise Manager.

Since 2015.

There are occasional run time issues.

I did not encounter any issues with scalability.

Technical support is great. They are extremely responsive and helpful with issues/questions.

Yes, Toad. I changed because my new company didn’t have a Toad license.

Initial setup is very easy. Download, unzip, and start using it.

A license is not needed for this product.

I did not evaluate other options. Invest some time on standardizing the preferences.

Invest some time in standardizing the preferences.

Among the most valuable features is the automated unit test capability for PL/SQL development. It allows us to implement a form of test driven development (TDD) for database-resident code.

We can switch between heterogeneous databases.

After installing a MySQL driver, for example, we can work with these row stores. It also supports Oracle Cloud legacy schema-as-a-service connections and the newer DBaaS connections.

I am not aware of any areas for improvement at the moment.

We have been using the solution for eight years.

We did not encounter any issues with deployment.

There are occasional runtime issues that are easily worked around, especially on a Windows deployment. However, these have never been impediments and the installation is regularly updated with patches and fixes.

We did not encounter any issues with scalability.

This is a self-service offering so customer service is not relevant.

I cannot comment with regard to the technical support.

We did not use a previous solution.

The setup was very simple, using only point-and-click as long as your workstation meets the runtime JDK prerequisite.

Not applicable.

I cannot comment on the ROI.

It's a no-cost license and it offers outstanding functionality on that basis.

For data architects, it offers the advantage of being part of the same tool set as the cost-free license for Oracle Data Modeler. Together, they form a nice tool kit for data architects as well as database developers and other specializations.

This open-source GUI is feature-rich software. If I have to choose one most valuable feature, then I will definitely go with the Data Modeler feature. Modeling the structure of all the data and database objects along with their attributes has always been a challenging and time consuming task. Data modeling always helped me with several projects by being able to draw objects in the plane in no time.

Another interesting feature of SQL Developer is Data Pump. It makes exporting and importing data easier. The wizard form for Data Pump relieves the developer from writing a whole chunk of code, which is a huge relief.

As a database trainer, I would like to say that although SQL developer is an open-source software, yet it provides a lot of features that you can find only in paid versions of its counterparts. It is lightweight; hence, it takes up less memory space, which makes it more efficient and faster. Furthermore, it has an easy installation process that leads to the company spending less time and money on lengthy trainings for its employees; just a refresher course is enough! This single software can connect with other databases provided by different vendors such as Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL, etc.

While working with Data Pump, I have faced a few problems. For example, sometimes it won’t let me change the set file type. Although this was not that big of an issue, yet I think that the Data Pump feature could be further improved.

I have been using SQL Developer for the last three years on a daily basis.

Till now, I haven’t faced any stability issues while working with SQL Developer.

To be frank, I haven’t had the chance to evaluate this software with respect to its scalability.

I didn’t get a chance to talk with technical support because whenever I faced any problem, I just tweeted about it and got the solution from the community. So, a great many thanks to them for helping me out!

I often switch between SQL Developer and TOAD for Oracle depending on their suitability regarding the project that I am working on.

The initial setup was very simple. I just had to download and extract the files. That’s all!

It is an open-source software available for free from Oracle Corporation so no issues with pricing and licensing.

I evaluated TOAD for Oracle, but after using SQL Developer, I kind of grew a liking towards the latter.

It is a great open-source software, power packed with features. The initial setup is simple, which means less mess in terms of training the employees. Moreover, it is fairly stable which makes it a wonderful choice.

• The code editor
• The tree view
• The debugger
• The support available for the product

Because I work in higher education, and budget dollars are always limited, the fact that this product is delivered at no cost to us as Oracle users is phenomenal. Only a small fraction of our in-house staff are using another solution to write code that affects our student information system (SIS). IT staff supporting the SIS could not do our jobs without SQL Developer.

Since the upgrade to 4.1.5, I have noticed improvement in functionality. I'm not freezing up any longer.

I have used it since 2011.

Deployment is VERY easy. We even have non-tech, functional users installing on their own with only a little guidance from us.

The product is very stable - no issues with version 4.1.5

Personally, the product scales to my needs.

10+

Technical support is EXCELLENT. Both Jeff Smith and Kris Rice are extremely responsive and helpful for issues/questions, etc.

When I first started working with Oracle, It was on a third-party product that my institution purchased. I was using the SQL Worksheet inside OEM to query the database for that one-off product. Once our whole SIS went to Oracle, and we all began using SQL Developer, it was like night and day. HUGE difference.

Our DBA has created a directory on a shared drive that we can simply drag and drop SQL Developer onto local machines from; she's made it very simple for us. But I have also installed right from oracle.com and it's really easy.

An in-house team implemented it.

SQL Dev is free; not sure of what Temple pays for Oracle licensing annually.

Before choosing this product, the institution probably did evaluate other options - but I was not involved in the decision making. Assuming we went with "the free one" which met our needs well, and that's why we chose SQL Dev.

Don't hesitate and, to get the most out of the product, explore some of the free online tutorials and webinars around using the product. For example, lots of great info at www.thatjeffsmith.com.