Symphytum 2.6

Symphytum is a database manager intended for those users who do not have much knowledge of database design. I have to say that this tool has one of the nicest interfaces I have seen in a database manager. In this regard, you can design the different components, like tables and forms, in a WYSIWYG environment. Similarly, there are wizards to help you create new fields.

The database you create can store different types of data, including text, numeric, date, progress and images. Likewise, it supports two different views of the same data. Thus, the Form view is more convenient for entering new data and visualizing contents while the Table view is better for such operations as searching, sorting and comparing data.

Symphytum is also a great choice if you need to keep data synchronized allowing users to enter or visualize contents from different workstations. In this regard, it is perfectly integrated with such Cloud services as Dropbox and MEGA. Moreover, you should not worry about your data getting lost or duplicated as it can effectively manage synchronization conflicts. Furthermore, your database can be regularly backed up to avoid data loss as well as be exported to CSV format.

The intention behind the tool is not to create complex databases. In fact, it does not support managing relational data or perform automatic calculations. It also has serious limitations in terms of importing data from external sources, such as CSV files. However, it is excellent news that its developers are planning to correct those drawbacks in future versions.

All in all, I have to admit that, despite its simplicity and probably because of it, I simply love Symphytum. It may be the best solution for those who think database design is well beyond their reach. Fortunately, the tool is available for various operating systems. What is more, this product is open-source and can be used at no cost.