dexo --guardrails --agents --tour --watch --install

18on GitHub
v1.4.2 is out · Oct 4, 2026

A database workbench with guardrails.

Dexo is a keyboard-driven workbench for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB and SQLite — a terminal UI, a command line and an MCP server for AI agents.

Download Dexo Star 18

Linux · macOS · Windows — free, MIT or Apache-2.0

brew install kingdaswinx/tap/dexo

Production asks for its name.

A DELETE without WHERE on a production connection waits until you type that connection’s name. Type a different one and nothing runs.

  • A read-only connection is read-only on the server too, not just in the UI.
  • Rows you insert or delete in the grid get a review before anything is written.
  • The command line keeps the same guardrails for scripts.
The real thing, recorded in Dexo: the wrong name runs nothing, the full name deletes four rows.
shop-prod · query-1.sql

DELETE FROM abandoned_carts

Run on production

1. DELETE FROM abandoned_carts

DELETE without WHERE removes every row

Type shop-prod to run this on production.

● PROD shop-prod Ctrl+Enter run

Your turn: type shop or shop-prod, then press Enter.

Agents write only through a grant you make.

Dexo runs an MCP server for Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and Claude Desktop. A profile decides what an agent can read; to let it write, you make a grant for a while. With --ask, every write waits for you on the Agents screen.

Set up an agent
dexo mcp profile create --name assistant
dexo mcp profile set --name assistant --connection local --query-mode raw-read
dexo mcp allow --profile assistant --selector 'postgres.public.*'
dexo mcp profile enable --name assistant --confirm
dexo mcp setup --client claude-code --profile assistant

warnAn agent’s write is waiting for your approval on Agents (Ctrl+G a).

▸ Request
Profile
assistant
Tool
data_update
Connection
shop
Target
shop.public.orders

identity: id = 1307

values: status = refunded

  1. …23:38:09assistantdata_updatewaiting for approval

The whole workbench, from the keyboard.

Catalog tree, an SQL editor with Vim mode and live diagnostics, a results grid that pages on demand, and a palette that reaches every command.

  1. Ctrl+Enter Run the statement under the cursor
  2. w Filter and sort a table
  3. Enter Open a row
  4. Ctrl+P Reach any command
  5. a Act on a tree node
  6. TLS·SSH Connect anywhere
  7. F1 See every key
  8. Settings Change the look
Dexo's workbench: the catalog tree on the left, an SQL query for top customers by revenue, and fifty result rows below. 1Autocomplete and live diagnostics 2Results under the editor 3Schemas, tables, views
Ctrl+Enter runs the statement under the cursor; Ctrl+J does too, where tmux eats the Enter.
A table open in Dexo's grid, with WHERE and ORDER BY hints above the rows.
Browse a table: the grid pages on demand. w adds a WHERE, o an ORDER BY.
The record view: every field of the selected row, with a list of actions beside it.
Enter on a row shows every field, and what you can do with it.
The command palette open over the grid, listing query and document commands with their keys.
Ctrl+P reaches every command, with its key beside it.
The actions menu for a connection in the catalog tree: connect, new document, test connection, backup, restore and more.
a on a tree node lists what it can do — backup, restore, grants, sessions.
The add-connection form with driver, host, port, database and username, and advanced options collapsed.
TLS, SSH tunnels and proxies wait under advanced options. Passwords stay in the keychain or your password manager.
The keybindings overlay listing screen, editor and results keys.
F1 lists every key for the keymap in use: Default, Vim or Emacs.
Dexo in the light theme with the violet accent.
Theme, accent, keymap and more apply at once. Here: light, with the violet accent.

One terminal, the whole job.

WorkbenchCatalog tree, SQL editor with Vim mode and live diagnostics, results grid, command palette.
DataInsert and delete rows with a review first; filter, sort, import, export, backup and restore.
SchemaObject forms with a DDL preview; schema diff between databases, snapshots and files.
Query plansEXPLAIN drawn as a tree. On Postgres with hypopg, try an index before you build it.
ConnectionsTLS, SSH tunnels, proxies, password managers, and databases found in Docker.
AI agentsMCP server with read-only profiles, allowlists, timed write grants and per-write approval.
Command lineQuery, export, import, explain and diff from scripts — with the same guardrails.
Local-firstNo telemetry. One daily check for a new release, which you can turn off.

Watch it, with the sound up.

Feature tour The real app at work, at a pace you can read: autocomplete, filters, reviewed edits, query plans, six screens, themes and the CLI. 2 min 26 s.
What’s new in 1.4.2 Screens beside the workbench, guardrails, agents, History, Connections, and SQLite, MariaDB and DuckDB support, shown in the real app. 2 min 23 s.

Install Dexo v1.4.2

Pick your system. Every file comes with a SHA-256 checksum; the release also ships a CycloneDX SBOM.

Looks like you’re on —

Open the latest release

Then try it on a sample shop — nothing to connect to:

dexo --demo