Question 1

What is SQLExplain?

Accepted Answer

SQLExplain is an AI-powered SQL learning platform. It combines a visual schema explorer, a sandboxed PostgreSQL query runner, and an AI assistant named Lex that really knows SQL, generates schemas, data & queries, diagnoses slow queries, and walks you through real-world database schemas — all in your browser.

Question 2

Which SQL dialects does SQLExplain support?

Accepted Answer

The sandbox runs on PostgreSQL, so PostgreSQL syntax and operators. The AI assistant Lex can explain queries written in other dialects (MySQL, SQL Server, SQLite) but will use PostgreSQL semantics when running them.

Question 3

How does the AI assistant explain my queries?

Accepted Answer

When you ask Lex about a query, it reads the SQL text, the connected schema, and any recent EXPLAIN output, then describes what each step does in plain language. It can also suggest concrete optimisations — indexes to add, joins to reorder, or rewrites that change the plan.

Question 4

Is my query data private?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your queries and results live in an isolated sandbox tied to your account and are not shared with other users. Conversations with the AI assistant are stored so you can return to them, and you can delete them at any time. See the privacy policy for full details.

Question 5

Can I run queries against my own database?

Accepted Answer

SQLExplain is designed around safe sandboxed schemas. You pick from real-world demo databases or create your own inside the sandbox; you do not connect SQLExplain directly to a production database. This keeps the environment safe for experimentation and learning.

Question 6

What is the pricing model?

Accepted Answer

SQLExplain has a Free plan with one temporary sandbox, basic editor features, and up to 100,000 AI tokens per month, and a Pro plan at £9.99 per month with unlimited persisted sandboxes, 500,000 monthly AI tokens (with top-ups), an AI-enhanced editor, and the extended Learn SQL course.

Question 7

How is SQLExplain different from pgAdmin or DBeaver?

Accepted Answer

pgAdmin and DBeaver are general-purpose database clients. SQLExplain is a learning tool: the schema explorer, sandboxed runner, and AI assistant are wired together so you can ask why a schema looks the way it does and get a guided answer, rather than just running queries against an existing server.

Question 8

Do I need to install anything?

Accepted Answer

No. SQLExplain runs entirely in the browser. Sign up with email or Google and you can start exploring schemas and running queries within seconds.

Question 9

Where does the AI assistant get its SQL knowledge?

Accepted Answer

Lex is built on top of large language models that have been trained on a broad corpus of SQL documentation, including PostgreSQL’s own docs and the wider web. When you ask about your schema or query specifically, it grounds its answer in the live sandbox state — your tables and columns — so the explanation matches what is actually there.

Frequently asked questions