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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions and troubleshooting.

General Questions

What is DBWillow?

DBWillow is an AI-powered MySQL database client with a modern, intuitive interface. It helps you manage MySQL databases more efficiently with features like AI SQL generation, dashboards, and visual user management.

Is DBWillow free?

DBWillow offers a 14-day free trial with full access to all features. After the trial, core features remain free, and Premium features (like AI Assistant) are available with paid subscriptions starting at $1/month (Starter tier, promotional), $4/month (Professional), or $8/month (Power).

What operating systems are supported?

DBWillow runs on:

  • Windows 10 or later
  • macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later
  • Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 10+, and other modern distributions)

Do I need an internet connection?

An internet connection is required for:

  • AI Assistant features (Premium)
  • Initial download and updates
  • License verification

Core features work offline once installed.

Installation Questions

Installation fails on Windows

Possible solutions:

  • Run installer as administrator
  • Disable antivirus temporarily
  • Check Windows version (10+ required)
  • Download latest version

Can't open on macOS

Solution:

  1. Go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy
  2. Click "Open Anyway" next to DBWillow
  3. Or right-click app → Open

Linux AppImage won't run or shows "no software to install this type of file"

AppImages are standalone executables, not installers. They don't need to be "installed" - just made executable and run.

Solution:

  1. Make it executable:

    chmod +x DBWillow-*.AppImage

  2. For Ubuntu 22.04+, install libfuse2 (required for AppImages):

    sudo apt update
sudo apt install libfuse2

  3. Run it:

    ./DBWillow-*.AppImage

Note: The "no software to install this type of file" message is normal - AppImages work differently than .deb packages. They're portable executables that don't require installation.

Connection Questions

Can't connect to database

Check:

  • MySQL server is running
  • Host and port are correct
  • Username and password are correct
  • Firewall allows connection
  • User has permission to connect

Connection timeout

Solutions:

  • Increase timeout in connection settings
  • Check network connectivity
  • Verify firewall rules
  • Test with command line tools

SSL connection errors

Solutions:

  • Verify SSL certificate
  • Check SSL mode settings
  • Review certificate paths
  • Try "Preferred" SSL mode first

Feature Questions

How does the AI Assistant work?

The AI Assistant uses advanced language models to:

  1. Understand your natural language requests
  2. Analyze your database schema
  3. Generate optimized SQL queries
  4. Create dashboard widgets

Can I use AI Assistant offline?

No, the AI Assistant requires an internet connection to process requests.

How do dashboards work?

Dashboards let you create visual widgets from SQL queries:

  • Count widgets for metrics
  • Charts for trends
  • Tables for detailed data
  • Auto-refresh for live updates

Can I export my data?

Yes! DBWillow supports exporting to:

  • CSV
  • JSON
  • Excel
  • SQL

Pricing Questions

How much does Premium cost?

Premium subscriptions start at $1/month (Starter tier, promotional pricing) with a 14-day free trial. Professional tier is $4/month with usage limits, and Power tier is $8/month with unlimited AI features.

What's included in Premium?

  • AI-Powered SQL Assistant
  • AI widget generation
  • Advanced query optimization
  • Priority support

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes, you can cancel your subscription at any time. You'll retain access until the end of your billing period.

Do you offer refunds?

Contact support for refund requests. We offer refunds within 30 days of purchase.

Technical Questions

What MySQL versions are supported?

DBWillow supports:

  • MySQL 5.7+
  • MySQL 8.0+
  • MariaDB 10.0+

Can I connect to multiple databases?

Yes! You can create multiple connections and switch between them easily.

Is my data secure?

Yes! DBWillow:

  • Encrypts all stored credentials
  • Never transmits data to external servers (except AI requests)
  • Stores everything locally
  • Uses secure connections (SSL/TLS)

Does DBWillow collect my data?

No. DBWillow:

  • Stores data locally only
  • Doesn't collect usage statistics
  • Doesn't track your queries
  • Privacy-focused design

Troubleshooting

App crashes on startup

Solutions:

  • Check system requirements
  • Update to latest version
  • Reinstall application
  • Check error logs

Slow performance

Solutions:

  • Close other applications
  • Check available RAM
  • Optimize database queries
  • Update to latest version

Queries not executing

Check:

  • Database connection is active
  • SQL syntax is correct
  • Query timeout settings
  • Database server status

Support

Where can I get help?

  • Documentation: /docs
  • Blog: /blog
  • Contact: support@dbwillow.com

How do I report a bug?

Contact support with:

  • Description of the issue
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Error messages
  • System information

Next Steps