Schema Introspection
Schema Introspection allows Qubase to inspect the structure of an existing database and retrieve metadata about its objects.
Instead of manually exploring tables and relationships, Qubase analyzes the database schema and presents the information in a structured format.
Schema Introspection is commonly used before Reverse Engineering, Schema Comparison, or Database Migration.
Before you begin
Before performing schema introspection, ensure that you have:
- Created a database connection
- Successfully connected to a supported database
- Permission to read database metadata
[!NOTE] Schema Introspection is a read-only operation. It never changes your database.
What is analyzed?
Qubase can inspect various database objects, including:
- Schemas
- Tables
- Columns
- Data Types
- Primary Keys
- Foreign Keys
- Constraints
- Indexes
- Views (when supported)
The available metadata depends on the selected database system.
Introspection workflow
Connect Database
│
▼
Read Metadata
│
▼
Analyze Objects
│
▼
Display Database StructurePerform Schema Introspection
To inspect an existing database:
- Open Database Engineering.
- Select Schema Introspection.
- Choose an existing database connection.
- Select the target database or schema.
- Start the analysis.
- Review the detected database objects.
The analyzed metadata becomes available for further engineering tasks.
Retrieved information
During introspection, Qubase may retrieve:
| Object | Description |
|---|---|
| Schemas | Database namespaces |
| Tables | Database tables |
| Columns | Table fields |
| Relationships | Foreign key relationships |
| Constraints | Validation rules |
| Indexes | Database indexes |
| Views | Read-only database views |
Why use Schema Introspection?
Schema Introspection helps you:
- Understand existing databases
- Verify database structures
- Prepare for Reverse Engineering
- Detect missing objects
- Review database metadata
- Validate schema consistency
Read-only analysis
Schema Introspection never:
- Creates tables
- Deletes objects
- Updates data
- Executes SQL modifications
Its purpose is to inspect and understand the database structure.
Validation
During analysis, Qubase may report:
- Missing Primary Keys
- Invalid Foreign Keys
- Unsupported data types
- Duplicate object names
- Inconsistent metadata
These findings help identify potential issues before further engineering tasks.
Best practices
- Inspect the database before importing it.
- Review detected relationships carefully.
- Compare the analyzed structure with your documentation.
- Use introspection before Reverse Engineering for large databases.
[!TIP] Running Schema Introspection regularly helps ensure your documentation stays aligned with the actual database structure.