Using the App
This guide walks you through every feature of Dribble, helping you become productive quickly and master advanced workflows.
Interface Overview
Dribble's interface is designed for efficiency, with everything you need at your fingertips:
- Left Sidebar: Sources and Queries navigation
- Main Area: SQL editor and query tabs
- Results Panel: Query output and execution details
- Right Sidebar: AI chat assistant
- Status Bar: Connection info and quick stats
Managing Data Sources
Data sources are your gateway to databases. Here's how to work with them effectively.
Adding a New Source
- Click "Add Source" in the left sidebar
- Choose your database type (PostgreSQL or MySQL)
- Enter connection details:
- Name: Friendly name for this connection
- Host: Database server address
- Port: Database port (5432 for PostgreSQL, 3306 for MySQL)
- Database: Database name to connect to
- Username/Password: Your credentials
- Click "Test Connection" to verify
- Click "Save" to add the source
Managing Sources
- Edit: Click the gear icon next to any source to modify settings
- Delete: Remove sources you no longer need
- Connection Status: Green dot = connected, red = disconnected
Exploring Database Structure
The file tree shows your database structure in an intuitive, expandable format.
Navigation
- Expand/Collapse: Click arrows to explore database objects
- Double Click: Double click to open a table, view or query
Understanding Icons
- Database: Top-level database/schema
- Schema: Database schema
- Tables: Folder containing tables
- Views: Folder containing views
Working with Tables
Click on any table to:
- See column definitions and data types
- View sample data
- Generate common queries (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE)
Writing and Managing Queries
Queries are at the heart of Dribble. Here's how to work with them effectively.
Creating Queries
- Click the "+" button in the query tabs
- Click the "+" button in the query tree
The SQL Editor
The editor provides a rich SQL authoring experience:
Syntax Highlighting: SQL keywords, strings, and comments are color-coded Auto-completion:
- Type table names for intelligent suggestions
- Column names appear when you reference tables
- SQL keywords complete automatically
Query Execution
- Run Button: Click the play button to execute your query
- Keyboard Shortcut:
Ctrl+Enter(Windows/Linux) orCmd+Enter(Mac): Run query
Query Tabs
Work with multiple queries using the tab system:
Tab Management:
- Create new tabs with the "+" button
- Close tabs with the "×" button
- Right-click for close others option
Saving Queries
- Auto-Save: Queries save automatically when you run them
- Dirty Indicator: Unsaved changes show with a dot on the tab
Working with Query Results
Query results appear in a table above the editor.
Pagination:
- Navigate large result sets with page controls
- Adjust page size (10, 50, 100, 500 rows)
- Use arrow keys to navigate between pages
Query History and Runs
Every query execution is tracked, giving you complete visibility.
Viewing Run History
- Click "All Runs" at the bottom of the screen
- See all your recent query executions
Run Details
For each query run, you can see:
- Execution Time: Total time to complete
- Row Count: Number of rows returned
- Status: Success, error, or cancelled
- Query SQL: The exact SQL that was executed
- Error Details: Full error messages for failed queries
Version Control for Queries
Dribble automatically versions your queries as you make changes.
Viewing Versions
- Click the version number next to your query name
- See a list of all saved versions
- Compare changes between versions
- View when each version was created
Auto-Versioning
Dribble creates new query versions every time you make changes to a query and save it by either explicitly clicking the save button or by running the query.
AI Chat Assistant
The AI assistant provides intelligent help right when you need it.
Opening the Chat
- Click the chat icon in the top-right corner
- The chat sidebar will slide out from the right
- Chat history is preserved between sessions
Types of Help
Writing Queries:
- "Show me all orders from last month"
- "Create a query to find duplicate customers"
- "Help me join these tables together"
Query Optimization:
- "This query is slow, how can I make it faster?"
- "Should I add an index for this query?"
- "Explain the execution plan"
Data Exploration:
- "What are the most popular products?"
- "Show me unusual patterns in this data"
- "Suggest some interesting queries for this database"
Debugging:
- "Why is this query returning wrong results?"
- "Fix this syntax error"
- "Explain what this query does"
AI Context
The AI understands:
- Your current database schema
- The query you're working on
- Previous conversation history
LLM and AI Settings
Configure how the AI assistant behaves to match your preferences.
Accessing Settings
- Click the settings icon (gear) in the top navigation
- Navigate to the "LLM" or "AI" section
- Modify settings as needed
- Changes apply immediately
Next Steps
Now that you know how to use all of Dribble's features:
- Explore Developer Concepts if you want to understand the technical architecture
- Practice with your own databases to become more proficient
- Share feedback to help improve Dribble for everyone
Happy querying! 🚀