SQL Formatter

How to format an SQL query

1. Paste one or more queries, or click Open a file to load a .sql file (up to 10 MB).
2. Choose the Dialect of your database, for example PostgreSQL, MySQL or SQL Server (T-SQL).
3. Choose how to write Keywords (UPPERCASE, lowercase or Keep as typed) and the Indentation.
4. Tick No spaces around operators if you prefer a=b+1 to a = b + 1.
5. Click Format SQL, then copy or download the result. Changing an option re-formats the query.

The query is only reformatted as text. It is never run and never sent to a database or a server.

What the formatter does

The tool uses the open-source sql-formatter library. It splits each statement into clauses and puts every clause keyword (SELECT, FROM, WHERE, GROUP BY, ORDER BY…) on its own line, with the content of the clause indented below it. Columns in a SELECT list are placed one per line, AND and OR conditions start new lines, and subqueries and CASE expressions are indented by nesting level. Short parenthesised expressions stay on one line. Several statements separated by semicolons are kept apart by a blank line.

Only whitespace and letter case change. String literals, quoted identifiers and comments are kept exactly, so the formatted query returns the same result as the original.

Why the dialect matters

SQL databases share the core language but differ in details, and a formatter has to know them to read the query correctly:

• identifiers are quoted with "double quotes" in standard SQL and PostgreSQL, `backticks` in MySQL, MariaDB and BigQuery, and [brackets] in SQL Server;
• operators such as PostgreSQL’s ->> and :: casts, or Snowflake’s : path access, only exist in some dialects;
• parameter placeholders differ: ?, $1, :name or @name;
• each dialect has its own reserved words and functions, which the Keywords option changes.

If you get “The query could not be parsed”, first check that the selected dialect matches your database. The error shows the line and column where parsing stopped. Standard SQL is the most restrictive choice; pick your actual database whenever possible.

Keyword case and style tips

Uppercase keywords remain the most common convention because they separate the language from table and column names at a glance. Lowercase is popular in teams that find it easier to read, and Keep as typed leaves your choice untouched. Table, column and function names are never changed: only reserved keywords follow the option. For long files, consistent formatting also makes differences between versions much easier to review.