How do I connect to my database in SQL Developer?

Click the green + icon in the Connections panel, select your database type (Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL), enter the hostname, port, username, and password, then click Test to verify and Connect.

How do I export query results to CSV in SQL Developer?

After running a query, right-click on the results grid and select Export. Choose CSV, Excel, JSON, XML, or SQL INSERT format and save the file.

What are the system requirements for SQL Developer?

Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), 4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended), 500MB free disk space. Java is bundled with the download.

How do I format SQL code in SQL Developer?

Press Ctrl+F7 (Windows) or Cmd+F7 (Mac) to automatically format and beautify your SQL code. You can customize formatting rules in Tools > Preferences > Code Editor > Format.

Why do I get connection refused error in SQL Developer?

Connection refused means the database server isn't responding. Check if the database service is running, verify the port number (MySQL: 3306, PostgreSQL: 5432, Oracle: 1521), and ensure your firewall allows the connection.

What are the keyboard shortcuts in SQL Developer?

Key shortcuts: Ctrl+Enter runs current statement, F5 runs entire script, Ctrl+F7 formats SQL, Ctrl+Space triggers auto-complete, F10 shows explain plan, Ctrl+/ toggles comments.

SQL Developer Help Center

Q: What databases does SQL Developer support?

SQL Developer supports Oracle Database (11g+), MySQL (5.7+), PostgreSQL (9.6+), SQL Server (2012+), SQLite (3.x), and MariaDB (10.1+).

Q: Is SQL Developer free?

Yes, SQL Developer is completely free for personal and commercial use. No account or login required to download.

Q: How do I run a SQL script in SQL Developer?

Open your .sql file with File > Open, select a database connection, then press F5 to run the entire script or Ctrl+Enter to run a single statement.

Connection errors, authentication problems, or just trying to get your data exported? We've got fixes and step-by-step guides for all of it.

Fix a Problem Browse FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions about SQL Developer

How do I connect to my database? +

1. Click the green + icon in the Connections panel
2. Select your database type (Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.)
3. Enter your hostname, port, username, and password
4. Click Test to verify, then Connect

Need more detail? See our step-by-step setup guide.

What databases are supported? +

SQL Developer connects to:

Oracle Database (11g+) · MySQL (5.7+) · PostgreSQL (9.6+) · SQL Server (2012+) · SQLite (3.x) · MariaDB (10.1+)

Is SQL Developer free? +

Yes. SQL Developer is completely free for personal and commercial use. Download it here — no account or login required.

How do I export query results? +

After running a query, right-click on the results grid and select Export. Choose your format (CSV, Excel, JSON, XML, or SQL INSERT statements) and save.

See our step-by-step export guide for detailed instructions.

What are the system requirements? +

OS: Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
RAM: 4GB minimum, 8GB recommended
Disk: 500MB free space
Java: Bundled with download (no separate install needed)

How do I run a SQL script? +

Open your .sql file with File → Open, select a database connection, then press F5 to run the entire script or Ctrl+Enter to run a single statement.

See our complete guide to running SQL scripts.

How do I format SQL code? +

Press Ctrl+F7 (Windows) or Cmd+F7 (Mac) to instantly format your SQL. Customize formatting rules in Tools → Preferences → Code Editor → Format.

See our SQL formatting guide for more options.

What are the keyboard shortcuts? +

Ctrl+Enter: Run current statement
F5: Run entire script
Ctrl+F7: Format SQL
Ctrl+Space: Auto-complete

See our full keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet.