MySQL Schema Diff Tool
Compare two MySQL databases side by side — dev against production, or two schema dumps — and see every table, column and index difference grouped for you. Tick what you need, get the change SQL, run it or archive it. No dumping schemas to text and diffing line by line, no hand-written migrations.
Two databases or two dumps · Tables, columns, indexes · Select-and-generate SQL · Changes auto-archived
Compare and sync MySQL schema in 3 steps
- 1 Point it at two MySQL databases (for example dev and production), or import two schema files.
- 2 The tool diffs tables, columns and indexes and lists every structural difference, grouped by type.
- 3 Tick the changes you want, generate the change SQL, review it, then run or archive it.
Every structural object it compares
Not just table names — a field-by-field read of the schema so nothing is silently missed.
Tables
Added, dropped or renamed tables across environments.
Table properties
Engine, charset and collation differences.
Column names
New, removed or renamed columns.
Column properties
Type, length, nullability and default changes.
Index names
Indexes added on one side but missing on the other.
Index properties
Indexed columns, order and uniqueness differences.
Keep dev, test and production in sync
Promote a known-good upstream structure to your downstream environments: pick the differences, generate the SQL, and every change is archived so each release leaves a trace.
Dumping both schemas and diffing the text is where the time goes
The usual way to compare two MySQL schemas is to dump both with mysqldump --no-data and diff the two .sql files. It works, but the busywork is real.
The diff is noisy
Two dumps of the very same structure can differ in statement order, spacing or comments, so you read carefully past differences that are not differences.
You still write the ALTERs
A text diff only tells you what looks different. Turning that into correct ALTER TABLE statements is still manual work, statement by statement.
Index and property changes hide
A dropped index or a changed column default is a single line among hundreds — exactly the kind of change that slips through into production.
Nothing is recorded
The dump you diffed and the SQL you ran end up in a terminal scrollback, so there is no trail of what changed, when, or who applied it.
Open-source vs commercial: the difference is usability
Both editions run in the browser and compare the same objects. The commercial edition is simply easier and safer to use day to day.
| MySQL Schema Diff Tool | Open-source edition | Commercial edition |
|---|---|---|
| Interface & workflow | Functional, but rough and clunky to drive | Clean and intuitive — tick and get results |
| Reviewing differences | Differences shown in a plain, cramped view | Grouped by table / column / index, easy to scan |
| Generating change SQL | Also generates it, but easy to misconfigure by hand | Built from what you tick, with upgrade + rollback |
| Setup & getting started | You install and configure it yourself | Download and run, or assisted remote deployment |
| Support & delivery | Community self-service | Full docs, deployment help and complete source code |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I compare two MySQL databases?
Point the tool at the two connections (dev and production, for example) or import two schema dumps. It lists every table, table property, column and index difference grouped by type, and you generate the change SQL from what you tick.
Is there a free MySQL schema diff tool?
Yes. The open-source edition compares the same structural objects and is free to download and run yourself. The commercial edition keeps the same comparison and adds the cleaner interface, grouped differences, tick-to-generate SQL with rollback, full docs, deployment help and the complete source code.
Can I diff a schema dump file instead of a live database?
Yes. You can import two schema files and compare them without connecting to either database — useful when production access is locked down, or when you want to check what a migration actually changed.
How do I sync schema changes from dev to production safely?
Compare source against target, tick only the differences you intend to promote, then generate the upgrade SQL and the rollback SQL and review the script before running it. Every change is archived, so each release leaves a record of what was applied.
Can it compare databases other than MySQL?
Right now it focuses on MySQL and covers tables, table properties, column names, column properties, index names and index properties. Foreign-key comparison is not supported yet.
What is the difference from the open-source version?
Both are web-based and diff the same objects; the open-source version just has a rough interface and clunky interaction. The commercial edition makes the same job more comfortable: a cleaner UI, grouped differences you can scan at a glance, tick-to-generate SQL with rollback, plus full docs, remote deployment help and complete source code.
Does it touch my data?
No. It compares structure (DDL) and generates the SQL that would make the target match the source. It does not modify rows, and you review the script before running it.
Do I have to install it on a server?
You can download and run it locally, or choose the deploy option with remote assistance; detailed docs are included if you prefer to self-deploy.