What is an SQL Formatter? An SQL formatter is a tool that automatically reformats SQL queries to make them more readable and maintainable. It adds consistent indentation, line breaks, and keyword casing so that complex queries become easier to understand at a glance. This is especially valuable for teams that collaborate on database code or for developers who debug long, unformatted queries.
Why use this SQL Formatter? This tool supports 17 SQL dialects including MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, BigQuery, and T-SQL. You can customize indentation style (spaces or tabs), keyword casing (upper or lower), and tab width. All processing happens entirely in your browser — your SQL queries never leave your machine, making it safe to use with sensitive schema or proprietary queries.
How does SQL formatting help development? Consistent SQL formatting makes code reviews faster, reduces the chance of syntax errors caused by misreading unformatted code, and helps new team members understand complex queries. Many teams adopt SQL formatting as part of their CI/CD pipeline, using the same rules enforced locally by tools like this one.
Try pasting your SQL query above, select the correct dialect, and click "Format SQL". Use the sample queries to see how different formatting options affect the output. Copy the result with one click for use in your codebase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:Does this SQL formatter work with stored procedures and functions?
The sql-formatter library does not support stored procedures, functions, or delimiter changes. For standard DML (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) and DDL (CREATE TABLE, ALTER, etc.) queries, formatting works well. Complex procedural blocks may not format correctly.
Q:Which SQL dialect should I choose?
Select the dialect that matches your database. MySQL is the most common choice and works well for most queries. PostgreSQL users should select PostgreSQL for proper handling of jsonb operators, array syntax, and specific functions. Use BigQuery for Google Cloud, T-SQL for SQL Server / Azure, and Oracle PL/SQL for Oracle databases. When in doubt, start with the generic SQL dialect.
Q:Is my SQL data safe when using this formatter?
Yes. This SQL formatter runs entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your SQL queries are never sent to any server, stored, or logged. This makes it safe to format queries containing proprietary schema, sensitive column names, or confidential business logic.
Q:What formatting options are available?
You can configure: tab width (2-8 spaces), tabs vs spaces for indentation, and keyword casing (upper case like SELECT/WHERE or lower case like select/where). Additional options like expression width, lines between queries, and logical operator newline placement are available through the underlying library.
Q:Can I use this formatter in my CI/CD pipeline?
The underlying sql-formatter library is available as an npm package and can be integrated into any Node.js CI/CD pipeline, ESLint workflow (via eslint-plugin-sql), or used as a pre-commit hook. This online tool provides the same formatting rules so you can preview the output before configuring automated formatting.