Calíope app icon

Calíope

Native MariaDB & MySQL Client for macOS and iPadOS

macOS 14+ iPadOS 17+ $34.99/year Subscription

Welcome to the Calíope support center. We build powerful, highly responsive database management tools with native performance. If you are experiencing an issue or have a query, browse our FAQ below or reach out directly.

✉️ Direct Support

Experiencing an issue or need subscription assistance? Send us an email and we will get back to you, typically within 1–3 business days. For feature ideas, see Suggest a feature below.

Email: support@caliope.org
What to include for faster assistance:
  • Your Operating System and version (e.g., macOS 15.2 Sequoia, iPadOS 18.3)
  • Your current Calíope version (found in Calíope → About Calíope)
  • A brief description of the issue and reproducible steps
  • Any error messages displayed, and/or screenshots illustrating the issue

💡 Suggest a feature

Calíope grows from what its users ask for. If there's something you'd like to see — a new database engine, a workflow that would save you time, a missing language, an integration — tell us. Every request is logged on the public roadmap, and the ones that pile up the most signal are the ones we tackle next.

Tips for a useful request:
  • Start the subject with Feature request: so we route it to the roadmap queue.
  • Describe the problem you're trying to solve, not just the solution you have in mind.
  • Mention how often you'd use it and on which platform (macOS, iPad, or both).
  • If you've seen the feature in another tool and liked the implementation, link to it.

Frequently Asked Questions

🔑 Connections & Networking
How do I create a new database connection?

Open the Connection Manager from the sidebar or main menu bar, then click the + button. Fill in your server's host, port, username, and password.

Your credentials are stored securely using the native Keychain (macOS Security Framework) and are never transmitted to any third-party or developer servers.

How do I connect through an SSH tunnel?

In the Connection Manager, enable the SSH Tunnel toggle. Enter your SSH host, port, and username.

Calíope supports password authentication and key-based authentication (Ed25519 and ECDSA P-256/384/521). The implementation uses native SwiftNIO-SSH — no external SSH clients are needed and decrypted keys are never written to disk.

My SSL connection fails. What changed?

As of the July 2026 security hardening, Calíope verifies the server's TLS certificate by default against system trust roots. If you connect to a server with a self-signed certificate and you don't supply a CA, the connection will fail.

You have two options:

  • Recommended: provide the CA certificate file in the SSL section of the profile.
  • For development only: tick the "Accept untrusted certificate (insecure)" checkbox. The connection will still be encrypted but is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks.
The app cannot connect to my database. What should I check?

Please perform the following quick diagnostics:

  • Verify the connection host, port, username, and password are correct.
  • Ensure that your MariaDB/MySQL server is configured to accept remote connections from your IP address (check the bind-address setting in your my.cnf).
  • If using SSL, verify your certificates and ensure the proper SSL mode is selected.
  • If behind a firewall or VPN, make sure that port 3306 (or your custom database port) is fully open.
  • Isolate the issue by attempting to connect from the terminal using the command-line client mysql -u [user] -h [host] -p.
💾 Storage & Backups
Where is my query history stored?

Your query history is kept locally on your device in a private SQLite database. It is strictly offline by default and is never uploaded. You can browse, search, filter, and permanently delete your execution logs via the History panel inside the SQL editor.

If you opt in to iCloud query log sync, the literal query text travels to your private iCloud — Calíope shows a warning before enabling this.

How do I schedule automatic database backups?

Navigate to the Backup engine in the sidebar. Select your desired databases and tables, establish your backup schedule (daily, weekly, custom), and select the target local destination folder. Backup operations are executed locally using a non-blocking asynchronous streaming engine.

Does Calíope sync data between my Mac and iPad?

Yes. Calíope offers optional iCloud synchronization for connection profiles, snippets and scheduled backups using Apple's iCloud Key-Value Store and CloudKit private database.

To preserve security, database passwords are not synced by default; Keychain entries stay on the device unless you explicitly enable iCloud Keychain sync. You can manage iCloud sync under Preferences → iCloud.

How do I delete all my data?

Open Preferences → Privacy → Erase all my data. One button wipes connection profiles, Keychain entries, query log, snippets, configuration and widget cache. This complies with GDPR Article 17.

💳 Subscriptions, AI & Troubleshooting
How do I use the AI SQL Assistant?

The contextual AI assistant is optional and disabled by default. To use it, navigate to Preferences → AI Assistant and supply your personal API key for OpenAI or Google Gemini.

Only database metadata (table and column names, foreign keys) plus the prompt you type are sent to the AI API. Your row contents and credentials are never transmitted.

Is my subscription tied to my Apple ID?

Yes. Calíope is monetized through a yearly subscription managed by StoreKit 2 and the Apple App Store. It includes a 7-day free trial. Your subscription is linked directly to your Apple ID, enabling you to use Calíope on any of your macOS and iPadOS devices signed into that Apple ID.

To manage, review, or cancel your subscription, open the App Store app → tap your account icon → Subscriptions.

How do I restore my subscription after reinstalling?

Open Calíope and tap or click Restore Purchases in the paywall view. The app queries the App Store to validate your active entitlement automatically.

The app crashes or behaves unexpectedly. What should I do?

We apologize for any inconvenience. Please try these steps:

  1. Completely restart Calíope.
  2. Verify that your operating system and Calíope are fully updated.
  3. If the issue continues, please reach out to us at support@caliope.org. If possible, attach any diagnostic logs or crash reports from Console.app (macOS) or Settings → Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements (iPadOS).

💾 Supported Databases

  • MariaDB 10.2.3+, 11.x
  • MySQL 5.7.5+, 8.0, 8.4 LTS
  • Compatible local & cloud deployments

💻 System Requirements

  • macOS: macOS 14 Sonoma or newer
  • iPad: iPadOS 17 or newer
  • Active internet connection for cloud/remote servers