How to Share a Database Diagram Online — Shareable Links & Embeds
Sending a screenshot of a database schema works once — then it goes stale the moment you make a change. Shareable diagram links solve this: teammates, reviewers, and stakeholders always see the live, current version, and you control exactly what they can do with it. Here's how sharing and embedding work in SQL Designer, and when to use each mode.
The Problem with Screenshots and Exported Images
The standard way to share a database diagram is to export it as an image — a PNG or PDF — and attach it to a message or document. This approach has two fundamental problems:
- Snapshots go stale. As soon as you update the schema, any previously shared image is out of date. There's no way for the recipient to know the diagram has changed.
- No interaction. An image can't be panned, zoomed, or inspected table by table. Large schemas become unreadable at any single zoom level.
A shareable link solves both problems: the recipient always sees the current diagram, and they can interact with it in the browser.
Three Ways to Share a Database Diagram in SQL Designer
Read-Only Link
Anyone with the link can view and interact with the diagram — pan, zoom, inspect tables and columns — but cannot make changes. Use this when you're sharing a schema for review, documentation, or approval. The link works without login, so recipients don't need an account.
Editable Link
Anyone with the link can view and edit the diagram in real time. Useful when you're working with a trusted collaborator who doesn't have an account on the tool, or when you want to let a contractor or consultant work on the schema without a formal invite process.
Approval-Based Access
Each visitor who clicks the link is placed in a pending queue. You see who's waiting and approve or deny each one individually. Approved visitors are added to a visitor list and can view or edit (depending on the permission you grant them). Use this for sensitive schemas where you want explicit control over who sees the diagram.
How to Generate a Shareable Link
- Log in to SQL Designer and open the diagram you want to share.
- Click the Share button in the toolbar.
- Choose an access mode: read-only, editable, or approval-based.
- Copy the generated link and send it to your recipients.
The link points to the live diagram. Every time a recipient opens it, they see the latest version — no re-sharing required when you make updates.
Embedding a Database Diagram as an iframe
If you want to embed a database diagram directly in a webpage, wiki, or documentation site, SQL Designer generates an iframe embed code alongside the shareable link. The embedded diagram is fully interactive — visitors can pan, zoom, and inspect tables — and it stays in sync with the live diagram automatically.
A typical embed looks like this:
<iframe
src="https://sql-designer.com/share/your-token"
width="100%"
height="500"
frameborder="0"
allowfullscreen>
</iframe>Paste it into any HTML page, Notion embed block, Confluence "HTML macro", or GitHub README (where iframes are supported). The diagram renders inline, scrollable and zoomable, without requiring the viewer to navigate away from your documentation.
Use Cases for Shared and Embedded Diagrams
- Code review. Link directly to the schema diagram in a pull request description so reviewers can see the data model alongside the code change.
- Client or stakeholder review. Share a read-only link with non-technical stakeholders before development begins. They see the full schema in the browser without needing to install anything.
- Team documentation. Embed the live diagram in your project wiki or internal docs. As the schema evolves, the embedded diagram updates automatically — no manual maintenance required.
- Onboarding. New engineers joining a project can open the schema diagram in the browser and explore the data model interactively, without needing database access or a local tool installed.
- Open-source projects. Embed the database diagram in a project README or documentation site so contributors can understand the data model immediately.
Managing Access After Sharing
Sharing isn't permanent or one-way. In SQL Designer you can:
- Revoke access at any time — disabling the shared link immediately prevents anyone from viewing the diagram via that URL.
- Change the access mode — switch between read-only, editable, and approval-based without generating a new link.
- Manage individual visitors — in approval-based mode, see a list of who has been granted access and remove specific people.
How SQL Designer Compares on Sharing
Most ERD tools make sharing expensive or awkward:
- dbdiagram.io: diagrams are public by default on the free tier; private diagrams and real sharing controls require a paid plan.
- draw.io: no live shareable links — sharing means exporting a file and sending it separately.
- Lucidchart: shareable links are available but require a paid plan for meaningful access control.
- MySQL Workbench: a desktop application with no built-in sharing — you export an image or an SQL file.
SQL Designer includes shareable links, embeddable iframes, and per-visitor access control on the free plan — no upgrade required.
Summary
- Sharing a diagram as an image goes stale; a shareable link always shows the current version.
- SQL Designer supports three sharing modes: read-only, editable, and approval-based.
- Diagrams can be embedded as interactive iframes in wikis, docs, and websites.
- Access can be revoked or changed at any time without generating a new link.
- All sharing features are free — no paid plan required.
Share your database schema online — free
Design your schema visually, then share it with a link or embed it in your docs. Read-only, editable, or approval-based access — all included at no cost.
Create a Free Account