The Missing GUI for Your docker-compose.yml

Adminer is ugly. pgAdmin is heavy. QueryGlow is the modern, lightweight container that completes your dev stack—with AI, Safe Mode, and beautiful UI.

  • 512MB RAM
  • 6 Databases
  • AI-Powered
  • Safe Mode

The Problem with Current Docker DB Tools

You've got a beautiful containerized stack... and then Adminer from 2005.

Adminer Looks Like 2005

Adminer works, but the UI is painful. No dark mode, no AI, no modern features. Just a PHP script from another era.

pgAdmin Eats RAM

pgAdmin in Docker consumes 1-2GB of RAM. Your laptop fan spins up. Your other containers starve for resources.

phpMyAdmin is MySQL-Only

Need to switch between Postgres and MySQL? You need two different tools. QueryGlow handles 6 databases in one UI.

No Safety Rails

Run DROP TABLE in Adminer? It just... runs it. QueryGlow has Safe Mode that blocks destructive queries.

Add to Your Stack in Minutes

Clone, add to compose, build, done.

docker-compose.yml
services:
  # Your existing database
  postgres:
    image: postgres:16
    environment:
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${DB_PASSWORD}
    volumes:
      - postgres-data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

  # Add QueryGlow - the modern GUI
  queryglow:
    build: ./queryglow  # Path to cloned repo
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    environment:
      - SESSION_SECRET=${SESSION_SECRET}
      - DATA_DIR=/app/data
    volumes:
      - queryglow-data:/app/data
    depends_on:
      - postgres

volumes:
  postgres-data:
  queryglow-data:

Step 1

git clone queryglow

Step 2

Add to docker-compose.yml

Step 3

docker compose up --build

QueryGlow vs Docker Alternatives

UI Design

Adminer

Early 2000s PHP

pgAdmin

Functional but dated

QueryGlow

Modern, Supabase-grade ✨

Memory Usage

Adminer

~50MB ✓

pgAdmin

1-2GB

QueryGlow

512MB-1GB ✨

Database Support

Adminer

Many databases ✓

pgAdmin

PostgreSQL only

QueryGlow

6 databases ✨

AI SQL Generation

Adminer

None

pgAdmin

None

QueryGlow

OpenAI, Claude, Gemini ✨

Safe Mode

Adminer

None

pgAdmin

None

QueryGlow

Blocks DROP, limits queries ✨

Dark Mode

Adminer

No

pgAdmin

Yes

QueryGlow

Yes ✨

SSH Tunnels

Adminer

No (needs external)

pgAdmin

Yes

QueryGlow

Yes (paste private key) ✨

CSV Import

Adminer

Basic

pgAdmin

Yes

QueryGlow

INSERT/UPSERT/REPLACE ✨

Credential Encryption

Adminer

None

pgAdmin

Optional

QueryGlow

AES-256-GCM always ✨

Price

Adminer

Free ✓

pgAdmin

Free ✓

QueryGlow

$79 once

Honest note: Adminer and pgAdmin are free. QueryGlow is $79. If you just need basic access and don't care about UI, Safe Mode, or AI—the free tools work fine. QueryGlow is for developers who value a great experience.

Built for Docker Workflows

Lightweight Node.js

512MB RAM minimum. No Java, no bloat. Starts instantly. Your laptop fan stays quiet.

Docker Networking

Connect to other containers by service name. Use host.docker.internal for host databases.

Multiple Instances

Run dev, staging, and production on the same server. Deploy script auto-finds available ports.

AI SQL Generation

Describe what you want in English. Get working SQL. Supports OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini.

Safe Mode

Blocks DROP DATABASE, prevents DELETE without WHERE, auto-limits SELECT. On by default.

Encrypted Credentials

All saved connections encrypted with AES-256-GCM. Even if someone reads your volume, passwords are safe.

Docker Networking Made Simple

Connecting to Other Containers

Use the Docker service name as the hostname.

Host: postgres
Port: 5432

Connecting to Host Databases

For databases running on your host machine (not in Docker).

Host: host.docker.internal
Port: 5432

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add QueryGlow to my docker-compose.yml?
Clone the QueryGlow repository, add a service block to your docker-compose.yml that builds from the source (build: .), map port 3000, set the SESSION_SECRET environment variable, and optionally map a volume for persistent data. Run docker compose up --build and access QueryGlow at localhost:3000.
How do I connect to my database container from QueryGlow?
Use the Docker service name as the hostname. If your database service is named "postgres" in docker-compose.yml, use "postgres" as the host in QueryGlow. For databases running on your host machine (not in Docker), use "host.docker.internal" as the hostname.
Is QueryGlow better than Adminer?
For developer experience, yes. QueryGlow has a modern UI, AI-powered SQL generation, Safe Mode to prevent accidents, dark mode, and better import/export. Adminer's advantages are smaller image size (~20MB) and no license cost. If you value a great UX and safety features, QueryGlow is worth the $79.
Is QueryGlow better than pgAdmin in Docker?
For most developers, yes. pgAdmin consumes 1-2GB RAM and is PostgreSQL-only. QueryGlow uses 512MB-1GB, supports 6 databases, has AI features and Safe Mode. pgAdmin's advantage is more advanced PostgreSQL-specific features for full-time DBAs.
Can I run QueryGlow without persistent storage?
Yes. Skip the volume mapping and QueryGlow runs stateless. Connections will be lost when the container stops, but this is fine for quick database inspections. For persistent connections and settings, map a volume to /app/data.
How much RAM does QueryGlow need?
QueryGlow requires 512MB RAM minimum, with 1GB recommended. This is significantly less than pgAdmin (1-2GB) or DBeaver (2GB+). QueryGlow is built on Node.js, not Java, which keeps the footprint small.

Complete Your Docker Stack

$79 once. Beautiful UI. AI-powered. Safe Mode included.