HeidiSQL is a free and open-source administration tool for MariaDB, MySQL, as well as Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL and SQLite. Its codebase was originally taken from Ansgar Becker's own MySQL-Front 2.5 software. After selling the MySQL-Front branding to an unrelated party, Becker chose "HeidiSQL" as a replacement. The name was suggested by a friend as a tribute to Heidi Klum, and was further reinforced by Becker's own nostalgia for Heidi, Girl of the Alps.
Ansgar Becker began development on a MySQL front-end in 1999, naming the project "MySQL-Front" and using a direct API layer written by Matthias Fichtner to interface with MySQL servers and the databases contained on them. Private development continued until 2003 with version 2.5. In 2004, during a period of inactivity, Becker sold the MySQL-Front branding to Nils Hoyer, who continued development by cloning the original software. In April 2006, Becker open-sourced the application on SourceForge, renaming the project "HeidiSQL" due to having sold the MySQL-Front branding. HeidiSQL was re-engineered to use ZeosLib, a newer and more popular database-interface layer, which debuted in version 3.0. The name was suggested by a friend as a tribute to Heidi Klum, and was further reinforced by Becker's own nostalgia for Heidi, Girl of the Alps.
What is HeidiSQL?
HeidiSQL by Ansgar Becker is open-source Windows software in the databases category. It ranks 2nd by popularity among databases in this catalogue. It is written in Object Pascal.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (Inno Setup) installers for 64-bit Windows. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 12.22.0.7382, released on October 25, 2026. The version history goes back to March 30, 2021: 26 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 4.7 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 528,155 times. The source code on GitHub (HeidiSQL/HeidiSQL) has 6,301 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 10 of our languages. On Windows it registers 1 file type, including .sql. Similar programs include MariaDB, Beekeeper Studio and SQLite.
Project description on GitHub: “A lightweight client for managing MariaDB, MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Interbase and Firebird, written in Delphi and Lazarus/FreePascal”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Updated in the last two months
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: HeidiSQL is an open-source database tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is HeidiSQL safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
468055814DCEDC057821F2692D28CFDDE181332265240538B9ACB320CAE49904· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 26 versions ›26 versions over 6 years · about 4.7 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.22.0.7382Latest | October 25, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 12.21.0.7344 | August 3, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 12.20.0.7320 | June 22, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 12.19.0.7314 | June 20, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 12.18.0.7304 | June 9, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 12.17.0.7270 | April 12, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 12.16.0.7229 | March 10, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 12.15.0.7171 | January 30, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id HeidiSQL.HeidiSQL -echoco install HeidiSQL -yscoop install extras/heidisqlHeidiSQL_12.22.0.7382_Setup.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Ansgar Becker
- Category
- Databases
- Licence
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/HeidiSQL/HeidiSQL
- Written in
- Object Pascal
- Interface languages
- multiple languages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE (Inno Setup)
- Version
- 12.22.0.7382
- Released
- October 25, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 26
- Updates / year
- 4.7
- Chocolatey downloads
- 528,155
- Downloads on ExeAtlas
- 3
- GitHub stars
- 6,301
- GitHub forks
- 594
- Website
- heidisql.com
- winget ID
- HeidiSQL.HeidiSQL
- Chocolatey package
- HeidiSQL
- Scoop package
- extras/heidisql
File types it opens (1)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is HeidiSQL free?
Yes. HeidiSQL is open-source software under the GPL-2.0 licence.
Is HeidiSQL safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install HeidiSQL with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can HeidiSQL be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does HeidiSQL run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of HeidiSQL?
The versions page lists all 26 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
Can I use HeidiSQL without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to HeidiSQL?
MariaDB, Beekeeper Studio, SQLite, Dolt and Liquibase. The alternatives page compares them.
