phpMyAdmin
phpMyAdmin is a free and open-source web-based administration tool for managing MySQL and MariaDB databases. It provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for performing database operations such as creating, modifying, and deleting databases, tables, columns, and rows, as well as executing SQL queries and managing user permissions. It is widely used for database administration tasks without requiring command-line expertise.
Developers should use phpMyAdmin when they need a quick, visual way to manage MySQL or MariaDB databases, especially in web development environments like LAMP/LEMP stacks or for debugging and prototyping. It is particularly useful for tasks like importing/exporting data, running ad-hoc SQL queries, and configuring database settings without direct command-line access, making it ideal for beginners, small teams, or projects where simplicity is prioritized over advanced automation.