SQL CLI - Powerful CSV/JSON Query Tool with Interactive TUI & CLI Modes
A vim-inspired SQL query tool for CSV and JSON files. Features both an interactive terminal UI for data exploration and a non-interactive CLI mode for scripting and automation.
🚀 Why SQL CLI?
Think less
for CSV files, but with SQL superpowers:
- 🎯 Two Modes: Interactive TUI for exploration, non-interactive for scripting & automation
- 📁 Point & Query: Drop any CSV/JSON file and immediately start querying
- ⚡ Lightning Fast: In-memory engine - 8ms SELECT on 100K rows (benchmarks)
- 🎮 Vim-Inspired: Modal editing,
hjkl
navigation, powerful keyboard shortcuts - 🧠 Smart Completion: Context-aware SQL completion with fuzzy matching
- 🔍 Advanced Filtering: Regex, fuzzy search, complex WHERE clauses
- 📊 Rich SQL Features: Date functions, string manipulation, mathematical operations
- 📤 Multiple Outputs: CSV, JSON, TSV, or pretty tables - perfect for pipelines
⚡ Quick Start
# Install from Cargo
# Point at any CSV or JSON file
# Immediately start querying with full SQL support
🎯 Three Powerful Modes
🖥️ Interactive TUI Mode (Default)
Launch the full vim-inspired terminal interface for data exploration:
# Interactive mode - explore your data with vim keybindings
# Navigate with hjkl, search with /, execute queries interactively
📝 Neovim Plugin Mode (Advanced)
A sophisticated Neovim plugin provides an IDE-like experience for SQL development:
" Execute queries directly from Neovim with intelligent features:
" - Visual selection execution
" - Function documentation (K for help)
" - Query navigation (]q, [q)
" - Live results in split panes
" - CSV/JSON export capabilities
" - Intelligent autocompletion (columns, functions, keywords)
" - Schema inspection with type inference
" - NEW: SQL Refactoring & Code Generation Tools
🆕 New Refactoring Features:
- Smart CASE Generation - Generate CASE statements from actual data values or ranges
- Column Explorer - Preview distinct values before writing queries (
\sD
) - Auto-detect Data - Intelligently finds data files from context
- Range Banding - Create equal-width bands for numeric data
- Window Functions - Interactive wizard for complex analytics
See nvim-plugin/README.md for installation and full feature list.
🚀 Non-Interactive Query Mode
Execute SQL queries directly from the command line - perfect for scripting and automation:
# Run a query and get CSV output
# Output as JSON
# Pretty table format
# Save results to file
# Execute SQL from a file
# Limit output rows
Non-Interactive Options:
-q, --query <SQL>
- Execute SQL query directly-f, --query-file <file>
- Execute SQL from file-o, --output <format>
- Output format:csv
,json
,table
,tsv
(default: csv)-O, --output-file <file>
- Write results to file-l, --limit <n>
- Limit output to n rows--styled
- Apply color styling to table output (uses ~/.config/sql-cli/styles.yaml)--style-file <file>
- Custom YAML style configuration file--table-style <style>
- Table border style (default, ascii, utf8, markdown, etc.)--case-insensitive
- Case-insensitive string matching--auto-hide-empty
- Auto-hide empty columns
Use Cases:
# Data pipeline integration
|
# Automated reporting
# Quick data analysis
# Data cleaning
# Complex calculations
💪 Powerful SQL Engine Features
🔥 Core SQL + Modern Extensions
Your SQL CLI combines traditional SQL with modern LINQ-style methods and advanced functions:
-- Traditional SQL with modern LINQ methods
SELECT
customer_name.Trim as name,
email.EndsWith('.com') as valid_email,
ROUND(price * quantity, 2) as total,
DATEDIFF('day', order_date, NOW ) as days_ago
FROM orders
WHERE customer_name.Contains('corp')
AND price BETWEEN 100 AND 1000
AND order_date > DATEADD('month', -6, TODAY )
ORDER BY total DESC
LIMIT 25
📊 Advanced Functions Library
Date & Time Functions
-- Comprehensive date handling with multiple format support
SELECT
NOW as current_time, -- 2024-08-31 15:30:45
TODAY as current_date, -- 2024-08-31
DATEDIFF('day', '2024-01-01', order_date) as days_since_year,
DATEADD('month', 3, ship_date) as warranty_expires
FROM orders
WHERE DATEDIFF('year', created_date, NOW ) <= 2
Supported Date Formats:
- ISO:
2024-01-15
,2024-01-15 14:30:00
- US:
01/15/2024
,01/15/2024 2:30 PM
- EU:
15/01/2024
,15/01/2024 14:30
- Excel:
15-Jan-2024
,Jan 15, 2024
- Full:
January 15, 2024
,15 January 2024
Mathematical Functions
-- Rich mathematical operations
SELECT
ROUND(price * 1.08, 2) as taxed_price,
SQRT(POWER(width, 2) + POWER(height, 2)) as diagonal,
MOD(id, 100) as batch_number,
ABS(actual - target) as variance,
POWER(growth_rate, years) as compound_growth
FROM products
WHERE SQRT(area) BETWEEN 10 AND 50
Available Math Functions:
- Basic:
ROUND
,ABS
,FLOOR
,CEILING
,MOD
,QUOTIENT
,POWER
,SQRT
,EXP
,LN
,LOG
,LOG10
- Prime Numbers:
PRIME(n)
- nth prime,IS_PRIME(n)
- primality test,PRIME_COUNT(n)
- count primes ≤ n,NEXT_PRIME(n)
,PREV_PRIME(n)
- Constants:
PI()
,E()
- mathematical constants - π Digits:
PI_DIGITS(n)
- π to N decimal places (up to 10,000),PI_DIGIT(n)
- Nth decimal digit of π
sql-cli -q "select sum_n(value) as triangle from range(1,10)"
-- use distinct to only select unique values
sql-cli -q "select distinct value % 4 from range(1,50)"
-- can use a range cte to select primes
sql-cli -q "WITH primes as (select is_prime(value) as is_p, value as n from range(2,100)) select n from primes where is_p = true "
-- sql-cli data/numbers_1_to_100.csv -f find_primes_1_to_100.sql -o table
with is_prime as
(
select
n as n,
is_prime(n) as n_prime
from numbers
)
select n,n_prime
from is_prime
where n_prime = true;
go
-- Prime number operations
SELECT PRIME(100); -- 100th prime = 541
SELECT IS_PRIME(17), IS_PRIME(100); -- true, false
SELECT PRIME_COUNT(1000); -- 168 primes under 1000
SELECT NEXT_PRIME(100), PREV_PRIME(100); -- 101, 97
Fun with π Digits:
# Get first 50 decimal digits of π with their positions
Output shows π = 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751...
Comparison & NULL Functions
-- Find maximum/minimum across multiple columns
SELECT
id,
GREATEST(salary, bonus, commission) as max_income,
LEAST(jan_sales, feb_sales, mar_sales) as worst_month,
GREATEST(0, balance) as positive_balance -- Clamp negative to zero
FROM employees;
-- Handle NULL values elegantly
SELECT
COALESCE(phone, mobile, email, 'No contact') as primary_contact,
NULLIF(total, 0) as non_zero_total, -- Returns NULL if total is 0
COALESCE(discount, 0) * price as discounted_price
FROM orders;
-- Mixed type comparisons (int/float coercion)
SELECT
GREATEST(10, 15.5, 8) as max_val, -- Returns 15.5
LEAST('apple', 'banana', 'cherry'), -- Returns 'apple'
GREATEST(date1, date2, date3) as latest_date
FROM data;
Comparison Functions:
GREATEST(val1, val2, ...)
- Returns maximum value from listLEAST(val1, val2, ...)
- Returns minimum value from listCOALESCE(val1, val2, ...)
- Returns first non-NULL valueNULLIF(val1, val2)
- Returns NULL if values are equal, else returns val1
🧮 Scientific Calculator Mode with DUAL Table
-- Use DUAL table for calculations (Oracle-compatible)
SELECT PI * POWER(5, 2) as circle_area FROM DUAL;
SELECT DEGREES(PI/2) as right_angle FROM DUAL;
-- Scientific notation support
SELECT 1e-10 * 3.14e5 as tiny_times_huge FROM DUAL;
SELECT 6.022e23 / 1000 as molecules_per_liter FROM DUAL;
-- Physics constants for scientific computing
SELECT
C as speed_of_light, -- 299792458 m/s
ME as electron_mass, -- 9.109e-31 kg
PLANCK as planck_constant, -- 6.626e-34 J⋅s
NA as avogadro_number -- 6.022e23 mol⁻¹
FROM DUAL;
-- Complex physics calculations
SELECT PLANCK * C / 500e-9 as photon_energy_500nm FROM DUAL;
SELECT MP / ME as proton_electron_mass_ratio FROM DUAL;
-- No FROM clause needed for simple calculations
SELECT 2 + 2;
SELECT SQRT(2) * PI ;
Scientific Constants Available:
- Math:
PI()
,EULER()
,TAU()
,PHI()
,SQRT2()
,LN2()
,LN10()
- Physics - Fundamental:
C()
,G()
,PLANCK()
,HBAR()
,BOLTZMANN()
,AVOGADRO()
,R()
- Physics - Electromagnetic:
E0()
,MU0()
,QE()
- Physics - Particles:
ME()
,MP()
,MN()
,AMU()
- Physics - Other:
ALPHA()
,RYDBERG()
,SIGMA()
- Conversions:
DEGREES(radians)
,RADIANS(degrees)
String & Text Functions
-- Advanced text manipulation
SELECT
TEXTJOIN(' | ', 1, first_name, last_name, department) as employee_info,
name.Trim .Length as clean_name_length,
email.IndexOf('@') as at_position,
description.StartsWith('Premium') as is_premium
FROM employees
WHERE name.Contains('manager')
AND email.EndsWith('.com')
AND department.Trim != ''
String Functions & Methods:
Method Style (in WHERE clauses):
column.Contains('text')
- Case-insensitive substring searchcolumn.StartsWith('prefix')
- Case-insensitive prefix checkcolumn.EndsWith('suffix')
- Case-insensitive suffix checkcolumn.Length()
- Character countcolumn.IndexOf('substring')
- Find position (0-based, -1 if not found)column.Trim()
- Remove leading/trailing spacescolumn.TrimStart()
- Remove leading whitespace onlycolumn.TrimEnd()
- Remove trailing whitespace only
Function Style (anywhere):
TOUPPER(text)
,TOLOWER(text)
- Case conversionTRIM(text)
- Remove whitespaceLENGTH(text)
- String lengthCONTAINS(text, pattern)
- Check substringSTARTSWITH(text, prefix)
,ENDSWITH(text, suffix)
- Pattern matchingSUBSTRING(text, start, length)
- Extract substringREPLACE(text, old, new)
- Replace all occurrences
📊 GROUP BY and Aggregation Support (NEW!)
SQL CLI now supports GROUP BY queries with powerful aggregate functions, enabling complex data analysis and summarization:
Aggregate Functions
-- Basic aggregation with COUNT, SUM, AVG, MIN, MAX
SELECT
trader,
COUNT(*) as trade_count,
SUM(quantity) as total_volume,
AVG(price) as avg_price,
MIN(price) as min_price,
MAX(price) as max_price
FROM trades
GROUP BY trader
ORDER BY total_volume DESC;
-- Multi-column grouping
SELECT
trader,
book,
COUNT(*) as trades,
SUM(quantity * price) as total_value
FROM trades
GROUP BY trader, book
ORDER BY trader, total_value DESC;
-- Filtering before grouping with WHERE
SELECT
region,
product,
SUM(revenue) as total_revenue
FROM sales
WHERE date > DATEADD('month', -3, TODAY )
GROUP BY region, product
ORDER BY total_revenue DESC;
Supported Aggregate Functions:
COUNT(*)
- Count all rows in groupCOUNT(column)
- Count non-null valuesSUM(expression)
- Sum of values (supports complex expressions)AVG(expression)
- Average calculationMIN(column)
- Minimum value in groupMAX(column)
- Maximum value in group
Real-World GROUP BY Examples
-- Trading desk performance analysis
SELECT
trader.Trim as trader_name,
COUNT(*) as total_trades,
SUM(quantity) as total_shares,
ROUND(AVG(price), 2) as avg_price,
SUM(quantity * price) as total_value,
MIN(trade_date) as first_trade,
MAX(trade_date) as last_trade
FROM trades
WHERE trade_date >= DATEADD('day', -30, TODAY )
GROUP BY trader.Trim
ORDER BY total_value DESC;
-- Product sales by category
SELECT
category,
COUNT(DISTINCT product_id) as unique_products,
SUM(units_sold) as total_units,
ROUND(AVG(sale_price), 2) as avg_price,
SUM(units_sold * sale_price) as revenue
FROM sales_data
WHERE status = 'completed'
GROUP BY category
ORDER BY revenue DESC
LIMIT 10;
-- Daily aggregations with date functions
SELECT
DATE(transaction_time) as day,
COUNT(*) as transaction_count,
SUM(amount) as daily_total,
AVG(amount) as avg_transaction
FROM transactions
WHERE transaction_time > DATEADD('week', -4, NOW )
GROUP BY DATE(transaction_time)
ORDER BY day DESC;
🎯 Advanced Query Capabilities
Complex WHERE Clauses
-- Sophisticated filtering with nested logic
SELECT * FROM financial_data
WHERE (category.StartsWith('equity') OR category.Contains('bond'))
AND price BETWEEN 50 AND 500
AND quantity NOT IN (0, 1)
AND trader_name.Length > 3
AND DATEDIFF('day', trade_date, settlement_date) <= 3
AND commission NOT BETWEEN 0 AND 10
Computed Columns & Expressions
-- Complex calculations in SELECT
SELECT
-- Computed columns with aliases
price * quantity * (1 - discount/100) as net_amount,
ROUND((selling_price - cost_basis) / cost_basis * 100, 2) as profit_margin_pct,
-- Nested function calls
ROUND(SQRT(POWER(leg1, 2) + POWER(leg2, 2)), 3) as hypotenuse,
-- Conditional logic with functions
CASE
WHEN price.Contains('.') THEN 'Decimal'
WHEN MOD(ROUND(price, 0), 2) = 0 THEN 'Even'
ELSE 'Odd'
END as price_type
FROM trade_data
Flexible ORDER BY
-- Order by computed expressions and functions
SELECT *, price * quantity as total_value
FROM orders
ORDER BY
customer_name.Trim , -- LINQ method in ORDER BY
ROUND(price * quantity, 2) DESC, -- Mathematical expression
DATEDIFF('day', order_date, NOW ) ASC, -- Date function
total_value DESC -- Computed column alias
LIMIT 100
Common Table Expressions (CTEs)
-- CTEs enable powerful multi-stage queries with labeled intermediate results
WITH
high_value_orders AS (
SELECT customer_id, SUM(amount) as total_spent
FROM orders
WHERE amount > 100
GROUP BY customer_id
),
top_customers AS (
-- CTEs can reference previous CTEs!
SELECT * FROM high_value_orders
WHERE total_spent > 1000
ORDER BY total_spent DESC
)
SELECT * FROM top_customers
WHERE total_spent BETWEEN 5000 AND 10000;
-- Window functions in CTEs for "top N per group" patterns
WITH ranked_products AS (
SELECT
category,
product_name,
sales,
ROW_NUMBER OVER (PARTITION BY category ORDER BY sales DESC) as rank
FROM products
)
SELECT * FROM ranked_products WHERE rank <= 3;
📚 See
examples/*.sql
for comprehensive CTE patterns including cascading CTEs, time series analysis, and performance tier calculations!
🌐 Web Data Integration & Environment Variables
Fetch data directly from REST APIs and integrate with local CSV/JSON files using WEB CTEs:
-- Fetch data from REST APIs with custom headers for authentication
WITH WEB api_data AS (
URL 'https://api.example.com/users'
FORMAT JSON
HEADERS (
'Authorization': 'Bearer ${API_TOKEN}',
'Accept': 'application/json'
)
)
SELECT
user_id,
name,
email,
created_at
FROM api_data
WHERE active = true
ORDER BY created_at DESC;
-- Join web data with local CSV files
WITH
WEB api_users AS (
URL 'https://api.example.com/users'
FORMAT JSON
HEADERS (
'Authorization': 'Bearer ${API_TOKEN}'
)
),
local_employees AS (
SELECT * FROM employees -- Local CSV file
)
SELECT
api_users.user_id,
api_users.name,
local_employees.department,
local_employees.salary
FROM api_users
LEFT JOIN local_employees ON api_users.user_id = local_employees.employee_id
WHERE local_employees.salary > 50000
ORDER BY api_users.name;
-- Multiple API endpoints in one query
WITH
WEB posts AS (
URL 'https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts'
FORMAT JSON
),
WEB users AS (
URL 'https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users'
FORMAT JSON
)
SELECT
users.name AS author_name,
users.email,
COUNT(posts.id) as post_count,
AVG(LENGTH(posts.body)) as avg_post_length
FROM posts
INNER JOIN users ON posts.userId = users.id
GROUP BY users.id, users.name, users.email
ORDER BY post_count DESC
LIMIT 10;
Environment Variable Support:
- Use
${VARIABLE_NAME}
syntax in HEADERS for authentication - Perfect for API keys and sensitive tokens
- Set variables before running:
export API_TOKEN="your-token-here"
- Variables are replaced securely before query execution
WEB CTE Features:
- Syntax:
WITH WEB table_name AS (URL 'url' FORMAT JSON HEADERS (...))
- URL Schemes: Supports
http://
,https://
, andfile://
for local files - Local Files: Use
file://
URLs to load CSV/JSON files as CTEs - Custom Headers: Use HEADERS block with key-value pairs (HTTP only)
- Authentication:
'Authorization': 'Bearer ${TOKEN}'
pattern - Multiple APIs: Multiple WEB CTEs in the same query
- JOIN with Local Data: Seamlessly combine API data with CSV/JSON files
- Format Support: JSON and CSV (auto-detected or specified)
- Examples: See
examples/web_cte.sql
,examples/web_cte_auth.sql
, andexamples/file_cte.sql
📁 File CTEs - Dynamic Local File Loading
Load CSV and JSON files dynamically as CTEs without pre-registering them:
-- Load local CSV files using file:// URLs
WITH WEB sales AS (
URL 'file://data/sales_data.csv'
FORMAT CSV
)
SELECT region, SUM(sales_amount) as total
FROM sales
GROUP BY region;
-- Join multiple local files
WITH
WEB customers AS (URL 'file://data/customers.csv'),
WEB orders AS (URL 'file://data/orders.json' FORMAT JSON)
SELECT
c.name,
COUNT(o.order_id) as order_count
FROM customers c
LEFT JOIN orders o ON c.id = o.customer_id
GROUP BY c.name;
-- Mix local files with web APIs
WITH
WEB local_data AS (URL 'file://data/products.csv'),
WEB api_prices AS (URL 'https://api.example.com/prices' FORMAT JSON)
SELECT
l.product_name,
l.category,
a.current_price
FROM local_data l
JOIN api_prices a ON l.product_id = a.id;
File CTE Benefits:
- No need to specify file on command line
- Dynamically load different files in the same query
- Mix and match local files with web APIs
- Reuse existing web CTE infrastructure
- Support for both absolute and relative paths
🧠 Smart Type Handling
- Automatic Coercion: String methods work on numbers (
quantity.Contains('5')
) - Flexible Parsing: Multiple date formats automatically recognized
- NULL Handling: Graceful handling of missing/empty values
- Error Recovery: Helpful suggestions for column name typos
⚡ Performance Features
- Blazing Fast: 8ms SELECT queries on 100K rows - See benchmarks
- In-Memory Processing: Eliminates I/O overhead for datasets up to 100K rows
- Sub-Second Operations: Most queries complete in under 1 second even at 100K rows
- Optimized JOINs: All JOIN types execute in under 40ms at 100K rows
- Efficient Aggregations: GROUP BY operations 10x faster than earlier versions
- Smart Caching: Query results cached for instant re-filtering
- See PERFORMANCE.md for detailed benchmarks
🖥️ Vim-Inspired Terminal UI
Lightning-Fast Navigation
- Help: Press
F1
for comprehensive help and keybindings - Vim Keybindings:
hjkl
movement,g
/G
for top/bottom,/
and?
for search - Column Operations: Sort (
s
), Pin (p
), Hide (H
) columns with single keystrokes - Smart Search: Column search, data search, fuzzy matching with
n
/N
navigation - Virtual Scrolling: Handle datasets with 1000+ rows and 190+ columns efficiently
- Mode Switching: Insert (
i
), Append (a
/A
), Command mode (Esc
)
Power User Features
- Key History: See your last 10 keystrokes with 2s fade
- Query Caching: Results cached for instant re-filtering
- Export:
Ctrl+S
to save current view as CSV - Debug View: Press
F5
to see internal state and diagnostics
🚀 Why Choose SQL CLI?
🔥 Unique Advantages
Feature | SQL CLI | csvlens | csvkit | Other Tools |
---|---|---|---|---|
LINQ Methods | ✅ .Contains() , .StartsWith() |
❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Date Functions | ✅ DATEDIFF , DATEADD , NOW() |
❌ | Limited | ❌ |
Math Functions | ✅ ROUND , SQRT , POWER , Primes |
❌ | Basic | ❌ |
GROUP BY & Aggregates | ✅ Full support with COUNT, SUM, AVG | ❌ | Basic | Limited |
Vim Navigation | ✅ Full vim-style | Basic | ❌ | ❌ |
Computed Columns | ✅ price * qty as total |
❌ | ❌ | Limited |
Smart Completion | ✅ Context-aware SQL | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Multiple Date Formats | ✅ Auto-detection | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
🎯 Perfect For
- Data Analysts: Complex calculations with LINQ-style methods
- Developers: Vim navigation + SQL power for log analysis
- Financial Teams: Advanced date arithmetic and mathematical functions
- Anyone: Who wants
less
for CSV files but with SQL superpowers
🔗 Real-World Examples
-- Financial Analysis with GROUP BY
SELECT
trader.Trim as trader_name,
ROUND(SUM(price * quantity), 2) as total_volume,
COUNT(*) as trade_count,
ROUND(AVG(price), 4) as avg_price,
DATEDIFF('day', MIN(trade_date), MAX(trade_date)) as trading_span
FROM trades
WHERE settlement_date > DATEADD('month', -3, TODAY )
AND counterparty.Contains('BANK')
AND commission BETWEEN 5 AND 100
AND NOT status.StartsWith('CANCEL')
GROUP BY trader.Trim
ORDER BY total_volume DESC
LIMIT 20;
-- Log Analysis
SELECT
log_level,
message.IndexOf('ERROR') as error_position,
TEXTJOIN(' | ', 1, timestamp, service, user_id) as context,
ROUND(response_time_ms / 1000.0, 3) as response_seconds
FROM application_logs
WHERE timestamp > DATEADD('hour', -24, NOW )
AND (message.Contains('timeout') OR message.Contains('exception'))
AND response_time_ms BETWEEN 1000 AND 30000
ORDER BY timestamp DESC;
📚 Examples Gallery
Explore the full power of SQL CLI with our comprehensive examples collection in the examples/
directory:
🎯 Run Examples
# Run any example directly
# Or with your own data
📂 Available Example Files
prime_numbers.sql
- Prime number theory functions: IS_PRIME(), NTH_PRIME(), PRIME_PI()physics_constants.sql
- Scientific constants and calculations using built-in physics valueschemical_formulas.sql
- Parse chemical formulas and calculate molecular massesstring_functions.sql
- Comprehensive text manipulation, regex, and hashingdate_time_functions.sql
- Date arithmetic, formatting, and time-based analysisgroup_by_aggregates.sql
- GROUP BY with HAVING clause and complex aggregationsmath_functions.sql
- Mathematical operations from basic to advancedleast_label.sql
- Find minimum labeled values with LEAST_LABEL()case_test_mass_fns.sql
- CASE expressions with physics constants
🚀 Quick Feature Showcase
-- Combine multiple advanced features in one query
SELECT
trader_name,
COUNT(*) as trade_count,
SUM(quantity) as total_volume,
AVG(price) as avg_price,
ATOMIC_MASS('C8H10N4O2') as caffeine_mass, -- Chemistry
IS_PRIME(COUNT(*)) as is_prime_count, -- Prime check
DATEDIFF('day', MIN(trade_date), NOW ) as days_trading, -- Date math
MD5(trader_name) as trader_hash, -- Hashing
MASS_EARTH / MASS_MOON as earth_moon_ratio -- Physics
FROM trades
WHERE trade_date >= DATEADD('month', -3, TODAY )
GROUP BY trader_name
HAVING COUNT(*) > 10 AND SUM(quantity) > 1000
ORDER BY total_volume DESC;
Check out the examples README for detailed documentation and more examples.
📦 Installation
Install with Cargo
# Install directly from git
# Or install from crates.io (when published)
Build from Source
🎮 Usage
Basic Usage
# Load CSV file
# Load JSON file
# With enhanced mode
Key Bindings
- Navigation:
hjkl
(vim-style),g
/G
(top/bottom) - Search:
/
(column search),?
(data search),n
/N
(next/prev) - Columns:
s
(sort),p
(pin),H
(hide) - Modes:
i
(insert),a
/A
(append),Esc
(normal) - Export:
Ctrl+S
(save current view as CSV)
Advanced SQL Examples
-- Date functions and complex filtering
SELECT * FROM data
WHERE created_date > DATEADD(MONTH, -3, NOW )
AND status.Contains('active')
ORDER BY updated_date DESC
-- Aggregations and grouping
SELECT category, COUNT(*) as count, AVG(amount) as avg_amount
FROM sales
GROUP BY category
HAVING count > 10
-- String manipulation
SELECT UPPER(name) as name_upper,
LEFT(description, 50) as desc_preview
FROM products
WHERE name.StartsWith('A')
📊 Terminal Charts (NEW!)
SQL CLI now includes a powerful standalone charting tool (sql-cli-chart
) that creates terminal-based visualizations of your SQL query results. Perfect for time series analysis, trend visualization, and data exploration.
Chart Tool Usage
# Basic time series chart
# Filter data with SQL WHERE clause
Real-World Example: VWAP Trading Analysis
Visualize algorithmic trading data with SQL filtering to focus on specific patterns:
# Chart fill volume progression for CLIENT orders only
# Compare with ALL orders (shows chaotic "Christmas tree" pattern)
The Power of SQL Filtering: The first query filters to show only CLIENT orders (991 rows), displaying a clean upward progression. The second shows all 3320 rows including ALGO and SLICE orders, creating a noisy pattern. This demonstrates how SQL queries let you focus on exactly the data patterns you want to visualize.
Interactive Chart Controls
Once the chart opens, use these vim-like controls:
- hjkl - Pan left/down/up/right
- +/- - Zoom in/out
- r - Reset view to auto-fit
- q/Esc - Quit
Example Scripts
Ready-to-use chart examples are in the scripts/
directory:
# VWAP average price over time
# Fill volume progression
# Compare different order types
Chart Features
- SQL Query Integration: Use full SQL power to filter and transform data before charting
- Smart Auto-Scaling: Automatically adapts Y-axis range for optimal visibility
- Time Series Support: Automatic timestamp parsing and time-based X-axis
- Interactive Navigation: Pan and zoom to explore your data
- Terminal Native: Pure terminal graphics, no GUI dependencies
🎨 Styled Table Output (NEW!)
SQL CLI now supports terminal-colored table output with customizable YAML styling rules. Perfect for financial data, trading systems, and any scenario where color coding helps identify patterns at a glance.
Quick Start
# Enable colored output with default style file
# Use custom style configuration
Style Configuration
Create a YAML file (default: ~/.config/sql-cli/styles.yaml
) to define your color rules:
version: 1
# Color cells based on exact values
columns:
Side:
- value: "Buy"
fg_color: blue
bold: true
- value: "Sell"
fg_color: red
bold: true
Status:
- value: "Active"
fg_color: green
- value: "Inactive"
fg_color: dark_grey
# Color cells based on numeric ranges
numeric_ranges:
LatencyMs:
- condition: "< 100"
fg_color: green
- condition: ">= 100 AND < 300"
fg_color: yellow
- condition: ">= 300"
fg_color: red
bold: true
ExecutionPrice:
- condition: "> 400"
fg_color: cyan
bold: true
- condition: "<= 300"
fg_color: dark_cyan
# Color cells based on regex patterns
patterns:
- regex: "^ERROR"
fg_color: red
bold: true
- regex: "^WARN"
fg_color: yellow
# Default header styling
defaults:
header_color: white
header_bold: true
Rule Types
1. Column Rules - Exact value matching:
columns:
Status:
- value: "Filled"
fg_color: green
- value: "Rejected"
fg_color: red
bold: true
2. Numeric Range Rules - Condition-based styling:
numeric_ranges:
PnL:
- condition: "> 0"
fg_color: green
bold: true
- condition: "< 0"
fg_color: red
bold: true
- condition: "== 0"
fg_color: dark_grey
3. Pattern Rules - Regex matching:
patterns:
- regex: "ALGO-[0-9]+"
fg_color: cyan
- regex: "^INFO"
fg_color: blue
Available Colors
Basic Colors: red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, magenta, white, black
Dark Variants: dark_red, dark_green, dark_blue, dark_yellow, dark_cyan, dark_magenta
Grays: dark_grey, dark_gray, grey, gray
Real-World Examples
Financial Trading Dashboard:
# Color-code buy/sell orders with latency thresholds
With appropriate styling rules:
- Buy orders: Blue text, bold
- Sell orders: Red text, bold
- Low latency (< 100ms): Green
- Medium latency (100-300ms): Yellow
- High latency (> 300ms): Red, bold
Log Analysis:
# Highlight errors and warnings
Performance Monitoring:
numeric_ranges:
ResponseTimeMs:
- condition: "< 100"
fg_color: green
- condition: ">= 500"
fg_color: red
bold: true
SuccessRate:
- condition: ">= 0.95"
fg_color: green
bold: true
- condition: "< 0.80"
fg_color: red
Features
- Composable Rules: Multiple rules can apply (column → numeric → pattern priority)
- YAML Configuration: Easy to edit, version control, and share
- Works with All Table Styles: Compatible with ASCII, UTF8, Markdown, etc.
- Non-Breaking: Opt-in via
--styled
flag - Flexible Conditions: Supports
<
,<=
,>
,>=
,==
, and compound conditions withAND
- Case-Insensitive Colors:
red
,Red
,RED
all work
CLI Options
--styled
- Enable color styling (uses~/.config/sql-cli/styles.yaml
by default)--style-file <PATH>
- Use custom style configuration file--table-style <style>
- Choose table border style (works with styling)
Tips
- Start Simple: Begin with column rules for categorical data
- Use Numeric Ranges: Perfect for KPIs, latencies, prices
- Combine with Table Styles: Try
--table-style utf8
for beautiful Unicode borders - Version Control: Check your styles.yaml into git for team consistency
- Multiple Files: Create different style files for different use cases
🔄 Unit Conversions
SQL CLI includes a comprehensive unit conversion system accessible through the CONVERT()
function. Convert between 150+ units across 8 categories, perfect for scientific calculations and data analysis.
Basic Syntax
SELECT CONVERT(value, 'from_unit', 'to_unit') FROM DUAL
Supported Categories & Examples
Length Conversions
-- Metric to Imperial
SELECT CONVERT(100, 'km', 'miles') as distance FROM DUAL; -- 62.14 miles
SELECT CONVERT(5.5, 'meters', 'feet') as height FROM DUAL; -- 18.04 feet
SELECT CONVERT(25, 'cm', 'inches') as width FROM DUAL; -- 9.84 inches
-- Nautical
SELECT CONVERT(10, 'nautical_mile', 'km') as distance FROM DUAL; -- 18.52 km
Mass/Weight Conversions
-- Common conversions
SELECT CONVERT(75, 'kg', 'lb') as weight FROM DUAL; -- 165.35 pounds
SELECT CONVERT(16, 'oz', 'grams') as weight FROM DUAL; -- 453.59 grams
SELECT CONVERT(1, 'metric_ton', 'pounds') as heavy FROM DUAL; -- 2204.62 lbs
Temperature Conversions
-- Temperature scales
SELECT CONVERT(32, 'F', 'C') as freezing FROM DUAL; -- 0°C
SELECT CONVERT(100, 'C', 'F') as boiling FROM DUAL; -- 212°F
SELECT CONVERT(20, 'C', 'K') as room_temp FROM DUAL; -- 293.15 K
Volume Conversions
-- Cooking and fuel
SELECT CONVERT(1, 'cup', 'ml') as volume FROM DUAL; -- 236.59 ml
SELECT CONVERT(3.785, 'L', 'gal') as fuel FROM DUAL; -- 1 gallon
SELECT CONVERT(750, 'ml', 'fl_oz') as wine FROM DUAL; -- 25.36 fl oz
Time Conversions
SELECT CONVERT(1.5, 'hours', 'minutes') as duration FROM DUAL; -- 90 minutes
SELECT CONVERT(365, 'days', 'years') as age FROM DUAL; -- 1 year
SELECT CONVERT(5000, 'ms', 'seconds') as delay FROM DUAL; -- 5 seconds
Other Categories
-- Area
SELECT CONVERT(100, 'sq_ft', 'm2') as area FROM DUAL; -- 9.29 m²
SELECT CONVERT(5, 'acres', 'hectares') as land FROM DUAL; -- 2.02 hectares
-- Speed
SELECT CONVERT(65, 'mph', 'kph') as speed FROM DUAL; -- 104.61 km/h
SELECT CONVERT(100, 'knots', 'mph') as wind FROM DUAL; -- 115.08 mph
-- Pressure
SELECT CONVERT(14.7, 'psi', 'bar') as pressure FROM DUAL; -- 1.01 bar
SELECT CONVERT(1, 'atm', 'Pa') as standard FROM DUAL; -- 101325 Pa
Complex Calculations with Conversions
-- Calculate BMI converting from imperial to metric
SELECT
CONVERT(180, 'lb', 'kg') as weight_kg,
CONVERT(72, 'inches', 'm') as height_m,
CONVERT(180, 'lb', 'kg') /
(CONVERT(72, 'inches', 'm') * CONVERT(72, 'inches', 'm')) as BMI
FROM DUAL;
-- Fuel efficiency conversion (mpg to L/100km)
SELECT
(CONVERT(100, 'km', 'miles') / 30.0) * CONVERT(1, 'gal', 'L')
as liters_per_100km
FROM DUAL; -- 30 mpg = 7.84 L/100km
-- Physics calculations with proper units
SELECT
0.5 * CONVERT(2000, 'lb', 'kg') *
POWER(CONVERT(60, 'mph', 'm/s'), 2) as kinetic_energy_joules
FROM DUAL;
Features
- Case-insensitive:
'KM'
,'km'
,'Km'
all work - Unit aliases:
'kilometer'
,'kilometers'
,'km'
are equivalent - High precision: Maintains floating-point precision throughout conversions
- Bidirectional: All conversions work in both directions
- Error handling: Clear messages for incompatible unit types
Complete Unit Reference
Length: m, meter, km, kilometer, cm, mm, nm, um, mile, yard, foot/feet, inch, nautical_mile
Mass: kg, kilogram, g, gram, mg, ug, tonne, metric_ton, lb, pound, oz, ounce, ton, stone
Temperature: C, celsius, F, fahrenheit, K, kelvin
Volume: L, liter, ml, m3, cm3, cc, gal, gallon, qt, quart, pt, pint, cup, fl_oz, tbsp, tsp
Time: s, second, ms, us, ns, minute, hour, day, week, month, year
Area: m2, km2, cm2, sq_ft, sq_in, sq_mi, acre, hectare
Speed: m/s, kph, mph, knot, fps
Pressure: Pa, kPa, MPa, GPa, bar, mbar, atm, psi, torr, mmHg
🌌 Astronomical Constants & Calculations
SQL CLI includes comprehensive astronomical constants for solar system calculations and astrophysics:
Solar System Constants
-- Calculate Earth's surface gravity (should be ~9.82 m/s²)
SELECT G * MASS_EARTH / POWER(6.371e6, 2) as earth_gravity FROM DUAL;
-- Compare planetary masses
SELECT
MASS_JUPITER / MASS_EARTH as jupiter_earth_ratio, -- ~318x
MASS_EARTH / MASS_MOON as earth_moon_ratio -- ~81x
FROM DUAL;
-- Orbital distances in AU (Astronomical Units)
SELECT
DIST_MARS / AU as mars_au, -- ~1.52 AU
DIST_JUPITER / AU as jupiter_au, -- ~5.2 AU
DIST_NEPTUNE / AU as neptune_au -- ~30.1 AU
FROM DUAL;
Astrophysics Calculations
-- Escape velocity from celestial bodies
SELECT
SQRT(2 * G * MASS_EARTH / 6.371e6) as earth_escape_ms, -- ~11,200 m/s
SQRT(2 * G * MASS_MOON / 1.737e6) as moon_escape_ms -- ~2,380 m/s
FROM DUAL;
-- Schwarzschild radius (black hole event horizon)
SELECT
2 * G * MASS_SUN / (C * C ) as sun_schwarzschild_m -- ~2,954 m
FROM DUAL;
-- Kepler's Third Law: Calculate orbital period
SELECT
SQRT(4 * PI * PI * POWER(DIST_EARTH , 3) / (G * MASS_SUN ))
/ (365.25 * 24 * 3600) as earth_period_years -- Should be ~1.0
FROM DUAL;
Combined with Unit Conversions
-- Convert astronomical distances to human-scale units
SELECT
CONVERT(DIST_EARTH , 'm', 'miles') as earth_orbit_miles, -- ~93 million
CONVERT(LIGHTYEAR , 'm', 'km') as lightyear_km, -- ~9.46 trillion
CONVERT(PARSEC , 'm', 'lightyear') as parsec_in_ly -- ~3.26
FROM DUAL;
-- Calculate with mixed units
SELECT
G * MASS_EARTH / POWER(CONVERT(6371, 'km', 'm'), 2) as g_from_km
FROM DUAL;
Available Astronomical Constants
Particle Radii:
RE()
- Classical electron radius (2.82×10⁻¹⁵ m)RP()
- Proton radius (8.41×10⁻¹⁶ m)RN()
- Neutron radius (8.4×10⁻¹⁶ m)
Solar System Masses (kg):
MASS_SUN()
- 1.989×10³⁰MASS_EARTH()
- 5.972×10²⁴MASS_MOON()
- 7.342×10²²MASS_MERCURY()
,MASS_VENUS()
,MASS_MARS()
,MASS_JUPITER()
,MASS_SATURN()
,MASS_URANUS()
,MASS_NEPTUNE()
Solar System Radii (meters):
RADIUS_SUN()
- 6.96×10⁸RADIUS_EARTH()
- 6.371×10⁶RADIUS_MOON()
- 1.737×10⁶RADIUS_MERCURY()
,RADIUS_VENUS()
,RADIUS_MARS()
,RADIUS_JUPITER()
,RADIUS_SATURN()
,RADIUS_URANUS()
,RADIUS_NEPTUNE()
Orbital Distances (meters from Sun):
DIST_MERCURY()
throughDIST_NEPTUNE()
AU()
- Astronomical Unit (1.496×10¹¹ m)
Distance Units:
PARSEC()
- 3.086×10¹⁶ mLIGHTYEAR()
- 9.461×10¹⁵ m
🧪 Chemistry Functions
SQL CLI provides essential chemistry functions for working with chemical data and molecular calculations:
Molecular Formula Support
-- Direct molecular formula calculations
SELECT
ATOMIC_MASS('H2O') as water, -- 18.016
ATOMIC_MASS('CO2') as carbon_dioxide, -- 44.01
ATOMIC_MASS('C6H12O6') as glucose, -- 180.156
ATOMIC_MASS('Ca(OH)2') as calcium_hydroxide -- 74.096
FROM DUAL;
-- Use common compound aliases
SELECT
ATOMIC_MASS('water') as h2o, -- 18.016 (alias for H2O)
ATOMIC_MASS('glucose') as sugar, -- 180.156 (alias for C6H12O6)
ATOMIC_MASS('salt') as nacl, -- 58.44 (alias for NaCl)
ATOMIC_MASS('ammonia') as nh3 -- 17.034 (alias for NH3)
FROM DUAL;
-- Complex organic molecules
SELECT
ATOMIC_MASS('C2H5OH') as ethanol, -- 46.068
ATOMIC_MASS('CH3COOH') as acetic_acid, -- 60.052
ATOMIC_MASS('C12H22O11') as sucrose -- 342.296
FROM DUAL;
Chemical Constants & Properties
-- Calculate moles from particle count
SELECT
6.022e23 / AVOGADRO as moles_from_particles, -- ~1 mol
12 * AVOGADRO as carbon_atoms_in_dozen_moles -- ~7.23×10²⁴
FROM DUAL;
-- Single element properties
SELECT
ATOMIC_MASS('Carbon') as carbon_mass, -- 12.011
ATOMIC_MASS('H') as hydrogen_mass, -- 1.008
ATOMIC_NUMBER('Gold') as gold_number -- 79
FROM DUAL;
Available Chemistry Functions
Universal Constants:
AVOGADRO()
- Avogadro's number (6.022×10²³ mol⁻¹)
Molecular Mass Calculation:
-
ATOMIC_MASS(formula)
- Returns atomic or molecular mass in g/mol- Single elements: 'H', 'Carbon', 'Au', etc.
- Molecular formulas: 'H2O', 'CO2', 'Ca(OH)2', 'C6H12O6'
- Common aliases: 'water', 'glucose', 'salt', 'ammonia'
- Complex organics: 'CH3COOH', 'C2H5OH', 'C12H22O11'
- Supports parentheses for compound groups: 'Mg(NO3)2'
- Case-insensitive for elements and aliases
-
ATOMIC_NUMBER(element)
- Returns atomic number (proton count)- Accepts element symbols and names
- Single elements only (not molecular formulas)
Supported Elements: Currently supports the first 20 elements plus common metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, Ag, Au, Hg, Pb, U).
Compound Aliases:
- Water compounds: 'water' (H2O)
- Organic compounds: 'glucose' (C6H12O6), 'sucrose' (C12H22O11), 'ethanol' (C2H5OH)
- Common chemicals: 'salt' (NaCl), 'ammonia' (NH3), 'baking soda' (NaHCO3)
- Acids: 'sulfuric acid' (H2SO4), 'hydrochloric acid' (HCl), 'nitric acid' (HNO3)
⚠️ SQL Features Not Yet Supported
While SQL CLI provides extensive SQL functionality, some standard SQL features are not yet implemented:
Not Yet Supported
STDDEV()
,VARIANCE()
- Statistical functionsHAVING
clause - Filtering groups after GROUP BY
🔗 Joins & Subqueries
JOIN Operations
-- Inner JOIN - only matching records
SELECT
orders.id,
orders.amount,
customers.name,
customers.email
FROM orders
JOIN customers ON orders.customer_id = customers.id
WHERE orders.amount > 100;
-- LEFT JOIN - all records from left table
SELECT
employees.name,
employees.department,
projects.project_name,
projects.deadline
FROM employees
LEFT JOIN projects ON employees.id = projects.assigned_to
ORDER BY employees.name;
-- Multiple JOINs with qualified column names
SELECT
orders.id,
customers.name as customer_name,
products.name as product_name,
products.price * order_items.quantity as total
FROM orders
JOIN customers ON orders.customer_id = customers.id
JOIN order_items ON orders.id = order_items.order_id
JOIN products ON order_items.product_id = products.id
WHERE orders.order_date > '2024-01-01'
ORDER BY total DESC;
JOIN Features & Limitations:
- Supported:
INNER JOIN
,LEFT JOIN
,RIGHT JOIN
- Qualified Columns: Use
table.column
syntax to avoid ambiguity - Complex Conditions: Multiple JOIN conditions with AND/OR
- ⚠️ Limitation: Table aliases not supported (use full table names)
- ⚠️ Limitation: FULL OUTER JOIN not yet implemented
Subqueries & CTEs
-- Scalar subquery in SELECT
SELECT
name,
salary,
(SELECT AVG(salary) FROM employees) as avg_salary,
salary - (SELECT AVG(salary) FROM employees) as salary_diff
FROM employees
WHERE department = 'Engineering';
-- Subquery with IN operator
SELECT * FROM products
WHERE category_id IN (
SELECT id FROM categories
WHERE name.Contains('Electronics')
);
-- Correlated subquery
SELECT
customer_id,
order_date,
amount
FROM orders o1
WHERE amount > (
SELECT AVG(amount)
FROM orders o2
WHERE o2.customer_id = o1.customer_id
);
- Set Operations:
UNION
,INTERSECT
,EXCEPT
- Combine query results - Subquery Types: Scalar, IN/EXISTS, correlated subqueries supported
- Common Table Expressions (CTEs): Complex multi-stage queries with labeled results
Data Modification
INSERT
,UPDATE
,DELETE
- Data modificationCREATE TABLE
,ALTER TABLE
- DDL operations
Other Features
DISTINCT
keyword - Unique values only- Window functions (
ROW_NUMBER()
,RANK()
, etc.) EXISTS
,ALL
,ANY
operators
Note: SQL CLI is designed for read-only data analysis and exploration. For full SQL database functionality, consider using a traditional database system.
🔧 Development
Running Tests
# Run all tests
# Run specific test suite
Build Commands
# Format code (required before commits)
# Build release
# Run with file
🎯 Performance
- 10K-100K rows: Interactive queries (50-200ms)
- Complex queries on 100K rows: ~100-200ms
- Memory usage: ~50MB for 100K rows
- Navigation: Zero-latency keyboard response
📚 Documentation
Comprehensive documentation available in the docs/
folder covering:
- Architecture and design decisions
- SQL parser implementation
- TUI component system
- Performance optimization techniques
⚡ Performance
SQL CLI delivers exceptional performance with intelligent scaling characteristics:
Performance at 25,000 rows (typical dataset)
Operation | Time | Complexity |
---|---|---|
LIKE pattern matching | 7-14ms | O(log n) - logarithmic |
Simple SELECT with LIMIT | 2-3ms | O(1) - constant |
WHERE numeric comparison | 5ms | O(1) - constant |
WHERE string equality | 53ms | O(n) - linear |
ORDER BY with LIMIT | 4-6ms | O(1) - constant |
LAG/LEAD window functions | 315ms | O(n) - linear |
GROUP BY (50 categories) | 1.3s | O(n) - linear |
Multi-column GROUP BY | 3.1s | O(n) - linear |
Why SQL CLI is Fast
- Regex caching: LIKE patterns compiled once, reused for massive gains
- FxHashMap: 2-3x faster than standard HashMap for aggregations
- Smart memory allocation: Cardinality estimation prevents rehashing
- Streaming operations: Minimal memory overhead on large files
Scaling Characteristics
Most operations scale linearly or better:
- O(1) constant: SELECT/ORDER BY with LIMIT
- O(log n) logarithmic: LIKE pattern matching (cached regex)
- O(n) linear: GROUP BY, window functions, WHERE clauses
See Performance Benchmarks for detailed metrics and optimization roadmap.
🤝 Contributing
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch
- Run
cargo fmt
before committing (required) - Submit a pull request
📄 License
MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
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