Last updated: 2026-02-12

Clone Database & Table

Quickly duplicate databases and tables for testing, development, or archiving. Clone with or without data, and choose which objects and constraints to include.

Clone Database

Create a copy of a database as a new database on the same or another connection (same engine only).

Clone a Database

Right-click the database in Object Explorer
Select Clone Database...
Enter a name for the new database
Select clone options
Click Clone

Clone Database dialog with name and options.

Database Clone Options

Option	Description
Target Connection	Destination connection (only same-engine connections are shown)
New Database Name	Name for the cloned database (must be unique on the target)
Include Data	Copy all table data along with schema (PostgreSQL/MySQL). SQL Server cloning uses a BACPAC (schema+data) flow, so schema-only clone isn’t available.
Include Security Objects	Copy database users, roles, and permissions (SQL Server only)

Requirements

PostgreSQL requires pg_dump and pg_restore installed on the same machine where Jam SQL Studio is running (your computer). If tools are missing, the clone error dialog includes a How to fix button with install steps. If you installed the tools but Jam SQL Studio still can’t find them, configure the bin directory in Settings → Advanced → PostgreSQL Tools.
MySQL/MariaDB requires mysqldump and mysql installed on the same machine where Jam SQL Studio is running (your computer). If tools are missing, the clone error dialog includes a How to fix button with install steps. After installing, make sure the tools are on your PATH and restart Jam SQL Studio.
SQLite: Clone Database is not shown for SQLite connections. To duplicate a SQLite database, copy the .db/.sqlite file.

What Gets Cloned

A database clone includes:

Tables - All tables with columns and data types
Views - All view definitions
Stored Procedures - All procedure code
Functions - Scalar and table-valued functions
Indexes - Primary keys, unique constraints, non-clustered indexes
Foreign Keys - All relationship constraints
Triggers - Table and database triggers
Data (optional) - All table rows

Clone Table

Duplicate a single table within the same database or to a different database.

Clone a Table

Right-click the table in Object Explorer
Select Clone Table
Enter a name for the new table
Select the target database (same or different)
Choose what to include
Click Clone

Clone Table dialog with name and inclusion options.

Table Clone Options

Option	Description
Target Name	Name for the cloned table
Target Database	Same database or choose a different one
Include Data	Copy all rows (can be slow for large tables)
Include Indexes	Recreate all indexes on the new table
Include Foreign Keys	Recreate FK constraints (requires referenced tables to exist)
Include Triggers	Copy table triggers
Include Identity	Preserve identity column settings

Clone Progress

Monitor the clone operation as it runs.

Clone operation progress showing current step and percentage.

The progress dialog shows:

Current step - Which object is being copied
Overall progress - Percentage complete
Object counts - Tables, views, procedures cloned
Data progress - Rows copied (when including data)
Explorer refresh - Object Explorer refreshes after a successful clone so the new database appears

Use Cases

Development Environment

Clone production schema to create development databases:

Clone database with Schema Only option
Populate with test data separately
Developers get matching schema without production data

Testing Before Changes

Clone before making schema modifications:

Clone the database including data
Apply changes to the clone
Test thoroughly before applying to original

Table Archiving

Clone tables before cleanup or migration:

Clone table with data to create archive copy
Rename with date suffix (e.g., Orders_Archive_2024)
Proceed with original table modifications

Quick Backup

Clone for a fast same-server backup:

Clone database with full data
Faster than backup/restore for testing scenarios
Delete clone when no longer needed

Limitations

Same engine only - Clone works between connections of the same engine (e.g., PostgreSQL → PostgreSQL). Cross-engine cloning is not supported.
Server resources - Cloning large databases requires sufficient disk space and may impact server performance.
Personal mode limits - In Personal mode, cloning with data is limited to databases ≤ 1 GB and tables ≤ 100,000 rows. Schema-only clone availability depends on the engine.
Linked servers - Objects referencing linked servers may not work in the clone.
Foreign keys to other databases - Cross-database FKs cannot be cloned.

Frequently asked questions

How do I clone a database in Jam SQL Studio?

Right-click the database in Object Explorer and select 'Clone Database'. Enter a name for the new database, choose whether to include data, and click Clone. The new database is created with the same schema (and optionally data) as the original.

Can I clone just the schema without data?

Yes. For PostgreSQL and MySQL, uncheck 'Include data' to clone schema only. SQL Server cloning currently uses a BACPAC-based flow (schema + data).

How do I clone a single table?

Right-click the table in Object Explorer and select 'Clone Table'. Enter a new table name, choose whether to include data, indexes, and constraints, then click Clone.

Does cloning include foreign keys and indexes?

Yes, you can choose to include indexes, foreign keys, and other constraints when cloning. For database clones, all relationships are preserved by default. For table clones, you can select which constraints to include.

Can I clone to a different server?

Yes. You can clone to another connection of the same engine (e.g., SQL Server → SQL Server). Cross-engine cloning is not supported.

Ready to Clone Your Database?

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