Schema & Relationship Explorer
Beacon’s Schema & Relationship Explorer provides a navigable, visual map of database structure. It allows users to browse schemas, inspect tables and their columns, view indexes, explore views and functions, and understand how objects relate to one another through interactive diagrams.
This module answers the question: “What is the structure of this database, and how do its objects connect?”
Capabilities
Section titled “Capabilities”1. Schema Browsing
Section titled “1. Schema Browsing”Beacon provides a hierarchical view of all schemas and their contained objects.
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Schema List | All schemas present in a database instance. |
| Object Counts | Number of tables, views, indexes, and functions per schema. |
| Schema Search | Quick filtering across schemas by name. |
| Object Grouping | Logical grouping of objects by type within each schema. |
Operational value: Gives an immediate structural overview of a database without manual catalog queries.
2. Table Inspection
Section titled “2. Table Inspection”Each table can be explored in detail through a dedicated inspection view.
| Signal | Description |
|---|---|
| Column Definitions | Column names, data types, nullability, and defaults. |
| Primary Keys | Columns forming the primary key. |
| Foreign Keys | Relationships to other tables. |
| Constraints | Unique, check, and exclusion constraints. |
| Row Counts | Approximate and exact row counts where available. |
| Table Size | Total storage occupied by the table and its indexes. |
| Last Activity | Most recent read/write activity where tracked. |
Operational value: Consolidates structural and operational context about a table in one place.
3. Index Inspection
Section titled “3. Index Inspection”Beacon surfaces the indexes defined on each table and their characteristics.
| Signal | Description |
|---|---|
| Index Name & Type | B-tree, hash, GIN, GiST, or other index types. |
| Indexed Columns | Which columns and expressions the index covers. |
| Uniqueness | Whether the index enforces uniqueness. |
| Index Size | Storage consumed by each index. |
| Usage Status | Whether the index is being used by queries. |
Operational value: Connects structural design to observed query behavior, complementing the Index Intelligence module.
4. View & Materialized View Exploration
Section titled “4. View & Materialized View Exploration”Beacon lists and describes database views.
| Signal | Description |
|---|---|
| View Definition | The underlying query defining the view. |
| Dependencies | Tables and views the view depends on. |
| Materialization Status | Whether a materialized view is populated and when it was last refreshed. |
| Column Output | Columns produced by the view. |
Operational value: Clarifies how derived data is constructed and where it draws from.
5. Function & Procedure Browsing
Section titled “5. Function & Procedure Browsing”Beacon provides visibility into stored logic.
| Signal | Description |
|---|---|
| Function List | All functions and procedures in a schema. |
| Signature | Parameters and return types. |
| Language | The language in which the function is implemented. |
| Dependencies | Objects the function references. |
Operational value: Helps teams understand the stored logic that may influence performance or behavior.
6. Relationship Visualization
Section titled “6. Relationship Visualization”Beacon generates an interactive diagram of how tables connect through foreign keys and other relationships.
| Visual Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Table Nodes | Each table represented as a node. |
| Relationship Edges | Foreign key links between tables. |
| Cardinality Indicators | One-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many relationships. |
| Key Columns | The columns participating in each relationship. |
| Cluster Grouping | Related tables grouped visually for clarity. |
Operational value: Makes database structure understandable at a glance, aiding onboarding, impact analysis, and schema design review.
7. Dependency Mapping
Section titled “7. Dependency Mapping”Beyond foreign keys, Beacon maps broader dependencies between database objects.
| Dependency Type | Description |
|---|---|
| View Dependencies | Which tables and views a view relies on. |
| Function Dependencies | Objects referenced by stored logic. |
| Index Dependencies | Tables and columns an index is built on. |
| Trigger Dependencies | Tables and functions connected through triggers. |
Operational value: Supports impact analysis — understanding what will be affected before making a structural change.
8. Metadata Search
Section titled “8. Metadata Search”Beacon provides a unified search across all database metadata.
| Search Target | Description |
|---|---|
| Object Names | Find tables, views, indexes, and functions by name. |
| Column Names | Locate tables containing a specific column. |
| Data Types | Find all columns of a given type. |
| Relationships | Search for tables connected to a given object. |
Operational value: Enables fast navigation in large, unfamiliar databases.
Exploration Views
Section titled “Exploration Views”Hierarchical Browser
Section titled “Hierarchical Browser”A tree-style navigator for schemas, tables, and their contents.
Detail Panel
Section titled “Detail Panel”A focused view of a single object with full metadata.
Relationship Diagram
Section titled “Relationship Diagram”An interactive graph of table connections and dependencies.
Search Results
Section titled “Search Results”A unified list of matching objects across metadata categories.
Configuration Options
Section titled “Configuration Options”| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Default Schema | Which schema opens first in the browser. |
| Hidden Objects | Suppress system or internal schemas from view. |
| Diagram Depth | Control how many relationship levels are rendered. |
| Metadata Refresh | How often structural metadata is re-collected. |
| Row Count Accuracy | Choose between approximate and exact row counts. |
Operational Scenarios
Section titled “Operational Scenarios”Scenario 1 — Onboarding to an unfamiliar database A new developer opens the Relationship Explorer and immediately sees the core tables and how they connect, building a mental model of the schema without reading documentation.
Scenario 2 — Assessing the impact of a change Before altering a column, a developer uses Dependency Mapping to identify all views, functions, and indexes that reference it, ensuring nothing is overlooked.
Scenario 3 — Locating data A user searching for where customer email addresses are stored uses Metadata Search to find all tables containing a matching column name, quickly locating the relevant schema.
Summary
Section titled “Summary”Beacon’s Schema & Relationship Explorer makes database structure visible, navigable, and understandable. By combining hierarchical browsing, detailed object inspection, and interactive relationship diagrams, it supports onboarding, design review, and impact analysis — all from within the same observability platform.