Database Explorer
Browse live database schemas and data directly from the DBackup UI without a separate database client.
Overview
The Database Explorer connects to your configured database sources and lets you:
- View all databases on a server with size and table counts
- Browse tables and their row counts
- Inspect table data (read-only)
- See the server version and version history
Required Permissions
| Permission | What it grants |
|---|---|
sources:view | Access the Explorer page and see the source list |
sources:read | Browse databases, tables, and data |
Users with only sources:view see the Explorer page but cannot browse databases or data. The Databases tab is hidden until sources:read is granted.
Accessing the Explorer
- Click Explorer in the sidebar
- Select a database source from the dropdown
- DBackup connects live to the source and lists available databases
- Click a database to expand its tables
- Click a table to view its data
The selected source, database, and table are reflected in the URL — you can bookmark or share a direct link to any view.
Tabs
General
Shows server-level information:
- Database engine and version
- Server hostname and port
- Version history — a timeline of detected version changes (tracked by the
UPDATE_DB_VERSIONSsystem task)
Databases
Lists all databases with:
- Database name
- Total size (if reported by the engine)
- Table count
Click a database to open the table list. Click a table to view its rows.
The table list supports search by name and sorting by Name, Type, Rows, or Size - click any column header to toggle the sort direction.
Version History
The General tab shows a step-line timeline chart of all detected engine version changes, plus a change log table (previous version - new version, edition, detected at). Entries are recorded by the UPDATE_DB_VERSIONS system task whenever the engine version changes between two consecutive checks.
Upgrades are shown with a green upward arrow. Downgrades are shown with an orange downward arrow and trigger a "Downgrade" notification with a distinct warning color.
Limitations
- Read-only — no queries, no writes, no schema changes
- Not available for Redis — Redis uses a key-value model without tables
- SSH-mode sources — table browsing may be slower due to the SSH relay
- Data is fetched live on demand — large tables may take a moment to load
Troubleshooting
No databases shown
The source user may lack permission to list databases. Grant the SHOW DATABASES (MySQL) or equivalent privilege. See the individual source guides for minimum required permissions.
"Browse" tab not visible
Your user account lacks the sources:read permission. Ask an administrator to update your group's permissions in Users → Groups.
Connection error on page load
The source may be offline. Check the health status on the Sources page or view the Health Check history for the source.
Next Steps
- Database Sources - Configure and manage database connections
- Groups & Permissions - Assign
sources:readto groups - Health Checks - Monitor source connectivity