Early access to RepoDB Desktop Studio

[mikependon]

Hi Data and .NET Community!

Early this year, I have evolved the architecture of RepoDB, by making it not just a simple fast Hybrid-ORM, but to be a Productivity Data Platform for .NET. With this, I have developed the RepoDB Desktop Studio to support the UI equivalent of the existing ORM and also to help you and your company be more productive when working in data.

Some of you might have already known to where I am on this as I keep sharing this on my X account. And today, I would like to officially start the discussion of sharing the early access of the solution.

But before doing that, let me explain what is on my mind

Last August, I have made this announcement about RepoDB's New Architecture - Productivity, ORM, Low-Level Connectors and Insights, and as I response to this, I have supported many DB Providers from 4 to 18 which I also released afterwards including the Nine New Database Providers, MySQL Bulk, and a Platform Shift and DuckDB, CockroachDB, AuroraDB, a New SQLite Family, and NativeAOT.

In here, we will discuss the v2.0 of RepoDB already, which I am planning to release on January 1, 2027. But before doing that, I would like the Data Community, not just the .NET community have an early access to RepoDB Desktop Studio so all of you can give feedback (find issues, etc) we go to our first release.

Modules and Capabilities

🟢 DATABASE MANAGEMENT

You can manage the database objects (table, rows, indexes, relationships, etc). There will be many meta-driven dialog that will automatically project the UI for you such as Operations, New Records, Import/Export, etc.

In the Database Management, we can do the following by now.

• Explore the databases and objects
• CRUD over the tables, Batch and Bulk Operations are also supported
• Relationship management due to metadata-driven UI
• Import/Export data to/from CSV, JSON and XML
• Stream data: Can do billion of rows streaming to a file with a near-zero memory footprint
• Load/Save definitions to JSON, XML and YAML
• Full ORM functionalities in the UI
• Copy the schema between 18 different DB providers
• Copy the data to DB different providers dynamically
• Run dynamic query like with our favorite SQL Management Studio
• Manage connections (can be many)
• Manage UI states
• SQL and C# Previewers
• Diagnostics like Log, Trace, Background Processes and Telemetry capturing
• Manage the work via the dynamic tab - once can set priority and colors

Future thoughts on this module.

• RESTful API integration
• AVRO, Parquet (Snappy, Brotli, etc), Toons and Reigeli file format integration
• Data interceptors during data movement (Move data, Import, Export)

🟢 INSIGHTS MANAGEMENT

You can see the insights of the RepoDB Desktop Studio itself, at the same time, can manage all other insights to capture the telemetries of the applications that are running on Production environment. So even they are running to an On-Premise setup, Native OS services, Cloud or Containers (i.e. Kubernetes, Docker, Podman), they all are can be monitored.

In the Insights Management, we can do the following by now.

• Manage to which RepoDB Query API to connect (can be many). Through here, you can monitor different applications/insights from different department, etc.
• Display the groups, applications, operations and events
• Overall statitistics and performances for groups, application, operations (you can see granular)
• Time range setup, filtering to max 7 days
• Queryable telemetry data via its backend RESTful API - you can use to feed to other systems
• Export telemetries
• Searchable groups for further analytics

Future thoughts on this module.

• Graph generation for reporting
• Component controls (if possible)

🟢 DEFINITION MANAGEMENT

You can manage the schema of your database here. Think of this as JSON, YAML, CSV file that contains the schema of your database. You do not need to be code-first to materialize your schema in the database, and you can move this to all other supported DB providers of RepoDB.

In the Insights Management, we can do the following by now.

• Manage the definition file exported from the Database
  • Add columns, indexes, contrainsts, indexes and relationships
• Convert and save to different file formats CSV, YAML, XML
• Validate the file, but this is in memory for now

Future thoughts on this module.

• Extended validation via container. Running an image in Docker, Podman or Kubernetes to validate the schema against real DB instance
• Run and load to the real-database of your choice

Shared Features

• Resource management, where you can see the resources used by the Desktop Studio
• All data are extractable via Nuget packages
• UI System Designs for its own Style, Theme and Appearance

Supported Databases

Current we are supporting the following DB providers.

• SQL Server
• PostgreSQL
• MySQL (MySql.Data and MySqlConnector)
• Sqlite (Microsoft, Ahtola, Turso)
• AuroraDB (MySQL and PGSQL)
• ClickHouse
• IBM DB2
• Oracle
• Vertica
• Firebird
• DuckDB
• EnterpriseDB
• MariaDB (MySql.Data and MySqlConnector)
• SAP Hana

And we will never stop, the below are on the pipeline.

• Redshift
• Snowflake
• KingbaseES
• And all others to be identified in the future

And once implemented, all of them will inherit the capabilities of the above.

Styles

RepoDB support different styles (Classic, Modern and Robotics).

CLASSIC:

MODERN:

ROBOTICS:

Appearances

RepoDB support different themes (Amethyst, Crimson, Gold, Graphite, Monokai, Ocean). Below are on different themes of Robotics style.

AMETHYST:

CRIMSON:

GOLD:

GRAPHITE:

MONOKAI:

OCEAN:

Future Thoughts

RepoDB Studio will further be extended in 2027. The target is to make it a portable platform that you can run locally and work with your data (in your organization) without leaving your own network.

The following are on our thoughts.

• Data Engineering Module: Where you can do pipeline, run jobs, schedule jobs, etc
• AI Engineering Module: Where one can integrate with your own AI model
• .NET Notebook Module: Where one can manage a Notebook via C#, VB or F#. Can build on the fly and feed to Data and AI Engineering
• Licensing and subscription base, depends on the capability you would like to unlock on the studio

Disclaimer: Please do not share your ideas as we have many of it already. We only need to hear feedback.

[mikependon]

In this discussion, I would like to collaborate as I am planning to open the studio's early access so everyone can test it in advance. Please let me know if you are interested so we can share you the build link.

You can also visit my initial Youtube video in --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seVK-x5sHuI&t=1642s.

There I explained the Desktop Studio status as of writing this.

[mikependon]

Hi All,

🚀 RepoDB Desktop Studio — Early Access & Community Collaboration!

I've been spending a lot of my spare time building RepoDB Desktop Studio, bringing the capabilities of RepoDB into a modern, cross-platform desktop application.

The vision is simple: make working with databases, schemas, data movement, and telemetry more accessible and productive for developers and data professionals.

I'm now opening up the discussion to the community and at the same time would like to share the early access where you can actually test it on your own environment! 🎉

I'd love to invite everyone interested to explore the project, share ideas, provide feedback, and help shape its future. Whether you're a developer, database enthusiast, or simply curious, your input is very welcome.

This is still an early version, and there's plenty more to build. But I'm excited to share the progress and develop it together with the community.

I am tagging the last 20 active users in Github page here, and probably you can also share this one to your network.

@csutcliff
@TerceiraSoft
@JanBrandenburger-LSF
@AntyaDev
@sanirr
@daaleonardo
@mamoreau-devolutions
@bpaolo71
@cajuncoding
@Benziza
@jzabroski
@rhuijben
@SergerGood
@maurosoft1973
@eriego
@SnowFox108
@zz97523
@prjanitor
@FynZ
@Grauenwolf

[maurosoft1973]

Hi @mikependon!

​Congratulations on this fantastic milestone! The idea of bringing RepoDB's features into a modern, cross-platform desktop application is really great, and I'm sure it will be incredibly useful.

​I am absolutely interested in joining the Early Access, and I would love to test the tool in my own environment.

​Please let me know how I can download or access it. I'm looking forward to trying it out and sharing my feedback with you and the rest of the community to help shape its future.

​Great job, and speak soon!

[mikependon]

Thanks! 🙏 I will make one and share it here.

[bpaolo71]

Hi Michael,
I am really interested in your great new project. I can't wait to try it out.

[mikependon]

Will send the link here today.

[mikependon]

To enable the Insights of the Desktop Studio, download the .env and docker compose file from this link. It can be place to any location of your machine.

Then, run the command below.

docker compose up -d

It will result to below, that will setup the local Docker environment for you.

COLLECTOR

Go to Options > Diagnostics and setup the below.

The API Key is RepoDB2026, but this can be changed from .env file.

QUERY

In the left side, navigate to Insights Module, then manage your own Query API by following the settings below from the Tools > Query API Manager.

The API Key is RepoDB2026, but this can be changed from .env file.

After that, simply select your configured Query API.

[JanBrandenburger-LSF]

Hi @mikependon,

Thanks for sharing this great idea! I'm definitely interested.

We currently pay a lot for a big-name tool for data syncing and migration, so being able to use this instead would be awesome.

While watching your video, a thought occurred to me: would it be useful to connect this tool to the modern AI ecosystem? In Germany, many companies forbid cloud AI, but an OpenAI-compatible interface would allow users to connect to local AI (like vLLM) or to cloud AI.

Some ideas:

AI-generated CREATE/ALTER statements.
AI-generated SELECT queries.
A console call via paramters to save and trigger sync/migration plans (non-AI).
AI-driven consistency checks (PKs, FKs, types).
AI-generated documentation as MD or PDF or column comments directly inside the database structure.

These are just a few initial ideas to discuss - not more.

I have loved using RepoDB for years and believe this new project will encourage even more people worldwide to use the underlying tool as a side effect: RepoDB.

Best from Germany,
Jan

[mikependon]

Thanks Jan. I will issue the link here in a while. I am reviewing the license for now to ensure that Early Access will never have conflict on our future licensing. Rest assured that what you all get on the Early Access will always be available for all of you for "FREE"!

[JanBrandenburger-LSF]

@mikependon Sorry, I just realized that we're not supposed to submit ideas.
I missed that part.

[mikependon]

That is OK, for as long you are open to it. The reason why I do not want other ideas to be shared here is because I have buckets of Data Engineering and AI Engineering already, and I personally am afraid of being quoted of stealing the ideas. I also shared some of my ideas on the video and also on the above. But that should not limit you your freedom on sharing the ideas here.

By the way, thanks @JanBrandenburger-LSF for watching the Youtube video.

W will make another video later to express the Early Access License and clear the future of my project.

[mikependon]

When I say "Free", the functionalities and capabilities on this early access will always be free! And you can quote me on this!

[mikependon]

Hi, I just made a build of the runnable EXE file that can be downloaded directly from Google drive.

I uploaded a 15 minutes video that explains the Early Access Licensing.

Follow this step to setup the Extended Telemetry capturing on your own environment.

[mikependon]

FYI @JanBrandenburger-LSF @bpaolo71 @maurosoft1973 - please let me know if you have feedback. Thanks a lot. 🙏

[JanBrandenburger-LSF]

The Video is blocked as private.
@mikependon

[mikependon]

Newly uploaded, so probably in 10 to 15 minutes, it will become available from Youtube.

[JanBrandenburger-LSF]

Hi @mikependon ,
I’ve now had a chance to watch your video, and I think it’s great.
As a father of two, the connection to Denmark—as well as the children’s voices in the background at the beginning—show me that financial gain isn’t the main focus here, but rather that you’re as sincere as you say you are in the video.
I’ll definitely check out the tool soon.
One quick question (and I hope you didn’t answer it and I just missed it):
You also mention giving feedback. Should we use a specific tag for this? Because the “Product” RepoDB Studio isn’t (yet) listed in your templates. Or should we always write “RepoDB Studio: xxxx” in the subject line?

I’ll take another look at the license terms at my leisure while I’m testing it out.

Best,
Jan

[mikependon]

Hi @JanBrandenburger-LSF

Thanks! As I mentioned in the video, the license is to protect all of us, especially that this is an Early Access and could be buggy still.

(There are few things that is not finish yet, like Data Interceptors, etc)

In terms of Professional edition, I do not know yet the future to that. Since RepoDB Desktop Studio is a completely separate product from OSS ORM, therefore I could not just easily issue Apache 2.0 license. Issuing such license would automatically limit me to move to the right terms in the future, and could probably limit to develop it further, that is why I have to craft mine.

What I can assure genuinely is that RepoDB Desktop Studio can be used for free, and the free functionalities are the one I made available in this Early Access and many other more. Data interceptors for example is a kind of free capabilities, and I can handle the cost for communities, on top of my time and AI agents.

Data and AI Engineering is a question. My plan is to make it all locally runnable in your own environment. Meaning, you run the RepoDB within your close network so data will never get out from there. You are responsible on your own Kubernetes setup, your clusters, etc. This will also be true to Web Studio, where you can run it on the same level.

But how about the subscriptions or other services that I need to integrate and pay on top? Should I acutally handle the costs for it, or should I not develop that, or etc. This is a kind of question still, and I will never pay the costs of them (saying it now).

What if RepoDB will also evolve to its own Cloud Services, that would push me to even make these services paid subscription.

What I can say, what you get access as free here, will always be free. 💯

[mikependon]

@JanBrandenburger-LSF ... and to some extent, this is one of my future plan.

I do believe that organization will move back to close network than relying on the cloud services. I am positioning RepoDB to be one of the player there.

Meaning, you can run the Web, Desktop and CLI, with its own Data and AI Engineering capability in a close Network, without going outside. And I hope that we can do it without a need of pairing (let us see). We (I) do not have intention to manage the enteprise data as I personally do not like operational burden of Local Governance and Compliance.

In addition, GDPR is also quite tricky in EU, so letting your own data crossing not going out of your own network is also my protection and to RepoDB.

And, the good thing is you can do whatever things big Data Platforms (i.e. FiveTran, DBT, Airflow, Airbyte, Databricks, SnowFlake, etc) can do.

Big vision, but it is not impossible! 🙂‍↔️

[JanBrandenburger-LSF]

@mikependon
thanks for the detailed answer, and especially for explaining the reasoning behind your plans. That's helpful context.

Maybe I expressed myself unclearly: I don't mean that the tool has to be free. It's perfectly fine if it also costs money. I'm going through the license terms only to make sure I fully understand them. I'm not questioning them.

[mikependon]

@JanBrandenburger-LSF I added a label named desktop and studio that you can use for tagging. I will add RepoDB Desktop Studio as part of the template as well so you can choose it properly.