rainfrog
Rainfrog is a lightweight, terminal-based database management tool written in Rust that supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and experimental support for DuckDB and Oracle. It provides vim-like navigation, a query editor with syntax highlighting, and cross-platform compatibility including Android via Termux.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | achristmascarl/rainfrog |
| Owner | achristmascarl |
| Primary language | Rust |
| License | MIT — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 5.2k |
| Forks | 92 |
| Open issues | 23 |
| Latest release | v0.3.19 (2026-06-17) |
| Last updated | 2026-07-06 |
| Source | https://github.com/achristmascarl/rainfrog |
What rainfrog is
Built in Rust using the Ratatui TUI framework, Rainfrog connects to databases via native drivers (postgres, mysql, sqlite) and experimental wire-protocol drivers. It offers session history, query favorites, table metadata inspection, and data export functionality with customizable keybindings and UI settings.
Get the rainfrog source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/achristmascarl/rainfrog.gitcd rainfrog# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Install Nerd fonts on terminal to display icons correctly; rainfrog relies on icon glyphs for UI clarity.
- Oracle driver requires separate Oracle Instant Client installation and library path configuration; other databases (Postgres, MySQL, SQLite) have no external runtime dependencies.
- Customize keybindings and connection profiles via config file; review and test keybindings before rolling out to team to avoid muscle-memory conflicts.
- Beta status means potential breaking changes between releases; pin version in CI/automation and test upgrades in staging before production use.
- Data export formats and filtering behavior should be validated against your workflows; no explicit mention of export options beyond the README section.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Production write operations required — README explicitly warns: 'it is not recommended to use this tool with write access on a production database.' Tool is in beta with active development and potential breaking changes.
- Need guaranteed database support beyond Postgres/MySQL/SQLite — Oracle and DuckDB are Tier 4 (experimental/unstable); Oracle requires additional external dependencies (Oracle Client libraries). Behavior is subject to change.
- GUI or web-based interface is mandatory — Rainfrog is terminal-only. Teams requiring a graphical or browser-based interface will not find this suitable.
- Require commercial support or SLA guarantees — Community-driven open-source project with no commercial entity backing it. Support depends on GitHub issues and community contributions.
License & commercial use
MIT License (OSI-approved permissive). No restrictions on commercial use, modification, or distribution. Include original MIT notice in redistributions.
MIT is an OSI-approved permissive license that explicitly permits commercial use and closed-source modifications. However, rainfrog is in beta with no commercial backing or SLA. Use in commercial contexts is permitted by license but comes with risk inherent to unsupported, actively-evolving software.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Adequate |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Low |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | High |
Passwords can be passed via CLI or environment variables; ensure credentials are not logged or exposed in shell history. No explicit mention of encrypted credential storage or TLS enforcement for database connections. Tool handles user input in query editor; standard SQL injection precautions apply. No third-party security audit data provided. Beta status and active development suggest security hardening is ongoing.
Alternatives to consider
DBeaver (open-source or commercial)
Full-featured GUI database IDE supporting 20+ databases, more mature, commercial support available; heavier resource footprint and not terminal-native.
Tableplus
Modern, user-friendly GUI tool with fast query execution and good UX; commercial/paid, closed-source, not terminal-based.
pgcli / mycli
Lightweight terminal tools with autocomplete and syntax highlighting; narrower scope (Postgres/MySQL only), less interactive UI features than Rainfrog.
Build on rainfrog with DEV.co software developers
If your engineers live in the terminal and need lightweight, consistent database access across Postgres, MySQL, and SQLite, explore Rainfrog. Test it in non-production first given its beta status, then consider adopting for dev/staging workflows.
Talk to DEV.coRelated open-source tools
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rainfrog FAQ
Is Rainfrog production-ready?
Which databases are fully supported?
Can I use Rainfrog on Windows?
Do I need to install external dependencies?
Software development & web development with DEV.co
DEV.co is a software development agency delivering custom software development services to companies building on open source. Our software developers and web developers design, integrate, and ship production systems — spanning web development, APIs, AI, data, and cloud. If rainfrog is part of your open-source databases roadmap, our team can implement, customize, migrate, and maintain it.
Evaluate Rainfrog for Your Team
If your engineers live in the terminal and need lightweight, consistent database access across Postgres, MySQL, and SQLite, explore Rainfrog. Test it in non-production first given its beta status, then consider adopting for dev/staging workflows.