The open-source plugin DBML Diagram for IntelliJ IDEA and compatible IDEs allows developers to visualize database schemas directly within the development environment. The tool generates ER diagrams from .dbml files, enabling real-time previewing of table structures and relationships without requiring a connection to an active database.
Version 0.1.0 of the plugin supports basic DBML syntax, including tables, fields, indexes, and enums. It offers three editor modes: Code, Preview, and a combined view. The plugin functions offline by using the JCEF browser component to render SVG visuals locally, with a 300 ms debounce delay for updates.
Users can export diagrams to SVG or PNG formats for documentation purposes. While the plugin currently lacks advanced features like autocompletion or refactoring, it provides basic syntax highlighting and diagnostic messages for parsing errors. The project is distributed under the Apache 2.0 license.
Future development plans include integrating the plugin with dbdiagram.io to allow direct publishing of local changes to shared schemas. Other roadmap goals involve implementing PSI-based language support for navigation and refactoring, as well as improving the automatic layout engine for complex diagrams.
