Offline DDL Export

Offline DDL Export generates local .sql files containing the DDL for your Oracle database objects. This lets you compare schema definitions, work offline, and power project-wide symbol search without a live database connection.

Exporting DDL

Right-click your connection in the Connections Explorer.
Choose Initialize offline ddl for a new local snapshot or Update offline ddl for an existing one.
Select the target folder in your workspace.
Choose object types to export (Tables, Views, Packages, etc.).
Click Export. Files are written to the chosen folder.

The exported structure mirrors the Oracle object hierarchy:

ddl/
  tables/
    EMPLOYEES.sql
    DEPARTMENTS.sql
  packages/
    HR_UTILS.pks
    HR_UTILS.pkb
  views/
    EMP_DETAILS_VIEW.sql

Refreshing the Snapshot

When your database changes, refresh the export:

Right-click the export folder → Refresh DDL Snapshot, or
Run the command Nexo SQL Studio: Refresh DDL Snapshot from the palette.

Only changed objects are re-exported (incremental refresh).

Symbol Search Without a Connection

Once DDL files are present in the workspace, the extension’s symbol index is built from files — so autocompletion, go-to-definition, and hover all work without a database connection.

Configure the search paths in your workspace settings:

"nexo-sql-studio.searchPaths": [
  "ddl/**",
  "packages/**"
]

Comparison Workflow

Use the local DDL snapshot to:

Compare generated object definitions between environments
Navigate packages, procedures, functions, types, tables, and views while offline
Feed completions, hover, and go-to-definition from local files

Sanitisation

Nexo SQL Studio sanitises exported DDL to ensure it is idempotent and safe to re-apply:

CREATE OR REPLACE used where appropriate
Passwords and sensitive data stripped from exported objects
Dependent object order calculated automatically where supported