Online database viewers: SQLite files, SQL scripts and servers
Before opening a database in an online viewer, check where the data goes. Some viewers read SQLite files inside your browser. Others upload the file or connect to a server. The interface can look similar even though the data handling is very different.
Ask where processing happens
A browser interface alone does not establish whether a file stays on your computer. Read the tool’s documentation and privacy information. Identify whether it sends file bytes, query results or database credentials to its server. Look for an explanation of the data handling, not just a “secure viewer” label.
For a sensitive database, use an approved environment and a minimal sample. If you cannot establish the processing boundary, keep the investigation local. Browser extensions also need a permissions review; being installed in Chrome does not make a viewer part of SQLite itself.
SQLite and SQL are different inputs
A SQLite viewer opens a database representation. A SQL file reader opens text. Some web tools can run a SQL script inside a temporary database, but that is execution, with limits on dialect, extensions and file size. Confirm whether the result persists after closing the page.
For a SQLite file copied from a running application, investigate its WAL state. Uploading only the main file does not make the snapshot consistent. The same limitation applies to .db3 files when they are SQLite.
Remote MySQL and PostgreSQL viewers
A server connection needs a reachable endpoint and the correct identity. A hosted viewer may connect from its own network, while a desktop client connects from yours. Do not broadly open a production firewall just to try a web interface. Use an approved private network or narrowly scoped access.
Check what the viewer shows and exports
- Does the viewer read the entire table or a limited sample?
- Can it show BLOBs, Unicode and NULL distinctly?
- Does it permit writes, even when you only intend to inspect?
- Does an export contain the displayed rows or the full matching result?
- Can you remove uploaded copies and saved connections?
Where plainDB fits
plainDB is a desktop application for Mac and Windows, not an online upload viewer or a Chrome extension. Use it for supported local files and authorized server connections when a desktop workflow suits the task. Compare platform support rather than assuming it replaces every web administration feature.
The SQLite use-case guide explains the distinction between an embedded database and a client/server system. See also reading SQL files.