What is an ERD file?
An .ERD file is usually an Entity Relation Diagram. Software developers and database administrators use these files to map out database structures. The file contains tables, columns, and the relationships between them. Many different software tools create .ERD files. For example, the DBeaver Community edition creates them as XML files. The dineug erd-editor creates them as JSON files. Other tools like XrmToolbox and erwin Data Modeler also use the .ERD extension. Rarely, an .ERD file is an Engineering Research Division Data File containing road surface profile data.
How to open ERD files?
Normally, you open an .ERD file with the software that created it. If the file is from DBeaver, you must install the software to view the diagram visually. Because many .ERD files are saved in plain text formats like XML or JSON, you can also open them with a text editor like Visual Studio Code. However, a text editor will only show you code, not the visual diagram.
Identify and inspect files online
Because .ERD has multiple possible meanings and formats, you might not know which tool created your file. viewer.online/erd can analyze .ERD files to identify the exact format and creator software, inspect the file structure, extract readable text, and check whether an online preview is available.
Best practices and file conversion
If you need to share a database design with a colleague who does not have database software, you should not send the .ERD file. Instead, we recommend file conversion to sensible target formats on convert.guru. You can convert a visual .ERD file to standard image formats like .PNG or .SVG, or a document format like .PDF.
Summary
viewer.online/erd is useful for identifying, inspecting, and understanding .ERD files without installing software or dealing with compatibility problems.