Export and back up

Export saves rows as a CSV file you can open in a spreadsheet. Backup saves a copy of the whole database. Use export to share or analyse data, and backup before you change anything.

Export a table to CSV

1. On the Data tab, select the table.

2. Optional: narrow the rows with the find-rows panel. The export follows the active search.

3. Select Export CSV in the toolbar.

4. Choose where to save the file. The suggested name is the table name with .csv.

A message confirms the number of rows and the path, for example Exported 1532 rows to followed by the file path.

The export contains every row that matches, not only the 100 on the current page. For a very large table this can take a while and use a lot of memory, so filter first if you need only part of it.

Export a query result

1. On the Query tab, run a query that returns rows.

2. Select Export CSV next to the Run button.

3. Choose where to save the file. The suggested name is query_result.csv.

What the CSV looks like

• The first line holds the column names.
• Values are separated by commas. A value that contains a comma, a double quote or a line break is wrapped in double quotes, and quotes inside it are doubled.
• NULL values are written as nothing between the commas. In the file, a NULL and an empty text look the same.
• Binary data is written as 0x followed by hexadecimal digits.
• MongoDB values that are objects or lists are written as JSON text.

Back up a database

1. Open the connection.

2. Select Backup in the title bar. The button reads Backing up… while it works.

3. Choose the folder to save the backup in.

A message confirms Backup created: with the path. The name always includes the date and time, as YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS, so a new backup never overwrites an old one.

What you get depends on the database:

Database	Backup	Example name
SQLite	A compacted copy of the database file	shop_backup_20261109_142530.db
MySQL / MariaDB	A SQL file: for each table, its definition and one INSERT per row	shopdb_backup_20261109_142530.sql
PostgreSQL	A SQL file: for each table, a CREATE TABLE and one INSERT per row	shopdb_backup_20261109_142530.sql
MongoDB	A folder with one .jsonl file per collection, one document per line	shopdb_backup_20261109_142530/
LMDB	A folder with a compacted copy of the database	data_backup_20261109_142530/

What a backup includes and leaves out

• SQLite: a complete copy. A backup of an encrypted database is encrypted with the same password.
• MySQL / MariaDB: the tables and their rows. Stored procedures, triggers, users and permissions are not included.
• PostgreSQL: the tables in the public schema, with column names, types, NOT NULL and the primary key, and their rows. Indexes, foreign keys, defaults, sequences, views and other schemas are not included.
• MongoDB: the documents of every collection. Indexes are not included.
• LMDB: a complete, compacted copy.

WARNING

For MySQL, PostgreSQL and MongoDB, the backup is a convenient snapshot of your data, not a full server backup. For a database you must be able to rebuild exactly, also use the database's own tools, such as mysqldump, pg_dump or mongodump.

Restore a backup

The app has no restore button. Restore with the database's own tools:

• SQLite: the backup is an ordinary database file. Add it as a new connection to look inside, or copy it over the original while no program has the original open.
• MySQL / MariaDB and PostgreSQL: run the .sql file against an empty database with mysql or psql.
• MongoDB: each .jsonl file holds one document per line and can be loaded with mongoimport.
• LMDB: the backup folder is a working LMDB database. Add it as a new connection, or put it in place of the original.

Open a backup once after you make it, to confirm it contains what you expect.

Next steps

• Edit data safely
• Password-protect a SQLite file
• Troubleshooting and FAQ