Database Explorer
Browse tables, page through rows, and run queries against your managed databases — right in the dashboard.
Once you've created a managed database add-on, you don't need a separate desktop client to look inside it. Better-PaaS has a built-in database explorer — a lightweight "studio" for browsing tables, paging through rows, and running ad-hoc queries against Postgres, MySQL, and Redis.
Opening the explorer
Go to the Databases screen in the dashboard.
On a running add-on, open the explorer (the "browse tables and run queries" action). The database must be running to explore it.
The explorer opens as a full-screen studio with a list of tables (or Redis keys) on the left and tabs on the right — a query console plus a tab for each table you open.
Browsing tables and keys
- For Postgres and MySQL, the left panel lists your tables. Click one to open it in a tab and page through its rows (50 at a time), with the total row count shown.
- For Redis, the left panel lists keys. Click a key to preview its value; strings, lists, sets, hashes, and sorted sets are all rendered as rows.
Use the filter box to find a table or key quickly.
Running queries
Open the query console tab to run statements directly:
- Postgres / MySQL — run any SQL, e.g.
SELECT * FROM users LIMIT 100;. Statements that return rows show a results grid; others (INSERT/UPDATE/DDL) report success. Real SQLNULLis shown distinctly from an empty string. - Redis — run any
redis-clicommand, e.g.KEYS *orGET mykey.
How it works under the hood
The explorer doesn't expose any extra database ports. It runs by shelling into
the add-on's own container with its native client (psql / mysql /
redis-cli), so the database stays on its private network. Credentials are
passed via environment variables (never on the command line), and each
operation is bounded by a 30-second timeout so a runaway query can't hang.
This runs real statements
The query console executes exactly what you type against the live database, including writes and schema changes. There's no undo — double-check destructive statements, and consider a backup first.