Creating an account, connecting your database, and the schema and permission decisions that shape what Redbrix can do with it.
To get started with Redbrix, you need to create an account, which you can do via the Redbrix registration page. You can create an account with an email address or you can log in with Google or GitHub.
⚠Important! If you are hosting through a third-party provider, they must allow external access to the database server. Not all providers allow this, e.g. Ionos.
After logging in to your Redbrix dashboard, you will be prompted to connect your database. Redbrix currently supports MySQL and MariaDB databases only (though we will introduce support for PostgreSQL and MS SQL Server in the future).
Enter your connection details, specifically:
Once you have entered the required information, click the "Connect" button. Redbrix will attempt to establish a connection to your database. If the connection is successful, you will be taken to the main dashboard where you can start exploring your database and using Redbrix features.
If you are hosting your database on a third-party provider, you may need to configure your database server to allow external connections and ensure that your firewall settings permit access from Redbrix's IP addresses. You should allow connections from the following IP addresses:
Address Subnet Mask Port 13.134.60.54 255.255.255.255 3306
or, if your provider allows CIDR notation, you can use:
13.134.60.54/32
In order for Redbrix to provide the best possible experience, there are a few golden rules to keep in mind when designing your database schema:
Redbrix currently supports MySQL 5.7 and later, though 8.0 or later is recommended. For MariaDB, 10.3 is the minimum, though 12.0 or later is recommended.
Your mileage will vary with older versions. The basics should work fine but you should expect some rough edges and missing features.
Support for PostgreSQL and MS SQL Server are planned for the future, but there is no ETA at this time.
Stick to standard MySQL data types for your columns. This ensures that Redbrix can properly interpret and display your data.
Redbrix interprets most MySQL data types and displays them in the application in the following formats:
You should define your foreign key relationships explicitly. You can check a table foreign key definitions by running the following SQL query:
SHOW CREATE TABLE your_table_name;
You will see the defined foreign keys towards the end of the output. If there are any missing, it is highly recommended that you create them using the following SQL command:
ALTER TABLE child_table_name ADD CONSTRAINT fk_name FOREIGN KEY (child_column) REFERENCES parent_table(parent_column);
Or, if you're happy with a default constraint name, just
ALTER TABLE child_table_name ADD FOREIGN KEY (child_column) REFERENCES parent_table(parent_column);
Properly defined relationships allow Redbrix to provide powerful features like automatic relationship mapping and intuitive data navigation.
Ensure that each of your tables has a primary key defined. This allows Redbrix to uniquely identify records and provide features like editing and deleting records directly from the UI.
Try to avoid using MySQL reserved keywords as table or column names, as this can lead to issues with query execution and may require additional escaping.
Redbrix decides who sees the configuration tools (e.g. custom labels and title fields) from the database login's own permissions — there's nothing extra to configure inside Redbrix.
A login that can also change the database's structure. They additionally see the configuration tools.
You do not need a MySQL "root" or server-wide superuser for this, and you shouldn't use one for everyday work. Create an ordinary login and grant it structural rights on just the one database you use with Redbrix.
A login that can read, and optionally add/edit/delete, data. They get the full data experience; the configuration tools are simply hidden.
The permissions assigned to the database user with which you connect to Redbrix will determine which functions are accessible within the application.
| Permission | Effect in Redbrix |
|---|---|
| SELECT | Allows the user to view records in a table. The table will be present in the table menu on the left-hand side of the application. |
| INSERT | Allows the user to create new records in a table. The "New" button will be present on the table summary view function bar. |
| UPDATE | Allows the user to edit existing records in a table. The "Edit" button will be present on the record details section. |
| DELETE | Allows the user to delete records from a table. The "Delete" button will be present on the record details section. |
You can assign these permissions to different users to control their access to various functions within the application. For example, if you want to create a user who can view and edit records but not delete them or create new ones, you can run the following statements:
CREATE USER 'your_user'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password'; GRANT SELECT, UPDATE ON your_database.* TO 'your_user'@'%';
It is worth reading up on MySQL user management and permissions to understand fully the implications of these commands, particularly section 15.7.1 Account Management Statements in the MySQL documentation.