Last updated: 2026-02-12

Getting Started

Welcome to Jam SQL Studio! This guide will walk you through installing the app, connecting to your first database, and running your first query. You'll be up and running in just a few minutes.

Step 1: Install Jam SQL Studio

Download Jam SQL Studio for your operating system and follow the installation instructions.

Step 2: Create Your First Connection

Connect to a SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, or SQLite database to start exploring your data.

Step 3: Run Your First Query

Now that you're connected, let's run a simple query to explore your data.

SELECT TOP 10 * FROM sys.tables ORDER BY name;

Pinning Objects in the Sidebar

Once you're connected, you can pin the databases, schema containers, folders (Tables, Views, Stored Procedures, Functions), and individual objects you use most often to a list at the top of your connection — above Databases. This gives you one-click access without traversing the tree.

• Hover any pinnable row and click the small outline pin icon on the right.
• The icon becomes a filled pin that stays visible. Click it again — on the original row or the pinned copy at the top — to unpin.
• Pinned rows from the same database are grouped inside a subtle tinted "database area" with the database name printed in a tiny uppercase header above. That keeps two Tables folders pinned from different databases visually distinct without needing a per-row chip.
• Pinned rows are expandable shortcuts — click the chevron and they drill into the same children as the canonical tree (a pinned database expands into its object-type folders, a pinned Tables folder lists its tables, a pinned table opens its Columns / Keys / Indexes subfolders). Stored procedures and functions stay leaves. Expanded children render inside the same tinted area as the pinned parent.
• Hover a pinned row to reveal a grip handle on the left, then drag to reorder. Dragging a pin from one database into the middle of another database's pins is allowed — the pin keeps its database, and the visual splits into separate areas so the grouping always matches what's pinned.
• When you have one or more pins, the Databases folder no longer auto-expands on connect — the pinned area is the starting point. Click Databases any time to drill into the full schema.
• The sidebar search ignores the pinned shortcuts so a pinned table never shows up twice in your results (the canonical row under Databases is the one match).
• Pinned items appear lightly greyed when the connection is disconnected, and more strongly greyed (with a tooltip) when the underlying object is no longer present in the database.

Pins are stored per connection on disk as part of your connection's MetaInfo, so they survive app restarts and stay scoped to the connection they belong to.

Frequently asked questions

What's Next?

Now that you've connected and run your first query, explore more features: