SQL Formatter

Format SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, CREATE, ALTER, DROP, JOIN, GROUP BY, ORDER BY, UNION, CASE, and subqueries in a Monaco editor. Choose uppercase or lowercase keywords, set indentation style, beautify or minify, validate parentheses balance, upload .sql files, and copy or download results — all in your browser without sending queries to a server.

How to Use the SQL Formatter

Paste or upload SQL, set keyword case and indentation, then Beautify, Minify, or Validate before copying or downloading the output.

  1. Paste SQL into the input editor or upload a .sql / .txt file.
  2. Choose keyword casing (uppercase or lowercase) and indentation (2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tabs).
  3. Click Beautify for readable multi-line SQL or Minify for a compact version.
  4. Optional — run Validate to catch unbalanced parentheses before sharing.
  5. Copy the output or download the formatted file from the toolbar.
  6. Use Clear or load a sample to start a new query.

Methodology & SQL parsing logic

The formatter tokenizes standard ANSI SQL and common database dialect syntax (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, T-SQL, Oracle) into lexical keywords, identifiers, literals, clauses, and subquery blocks. It constructs an indentation tree based on clause boundaries (SELECT, FROM, WHERE, GROUP BY, HAVING, ORDER BY).

Keyword casing normalization converts reserved syntax to uppercase or lowercase according to engineering style standards, preserving string literals and quoted identifiers without alteration.

Worked query formatting example

  • Input unformatted query: select u.id, u.email, sum(o.total) as lifetime_spend from users u left join orders o on u.id = o.user_id where u.status = 'active' group by u.id, u.email having sum(o.total) > 1000 order by lifetime_spend desc;
  • Options selected: Keyword casing = UPPERCASE; Indentation = 2 spaces.
  • Processing: Clauses are split into distinct lines, subclauses indented by 2 spaces, and reserved words normalized.
  • Output: SELECT u.id, u.email, SUM(o.total) AS lifetime_spend FROM users u LEFT JOIN orders o ON u.id = o.user_id WHERE u.status = 'active' GROUP BY u.id, u.email HAVING SUM(o.total) > 1000 ORDER BY lifetime_spend DESC;
  • Interpretation: Visual hierarchy separates projection, join topology, filtering, and aggregation for code review readability.

Supported statement shapes

  • SELECT with JOINs, GROUP BY, HAVING, ORDER BY, and UNION.
  • INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE with WHERE clauses.
  • CREATE / ALTER / DROP and nested subqueries.

Keyword casing

Uppercase keywords match many team style guides; lowercase suits case-sensitive engines or personal preference. Casing applies on beautify, not on raw minify whitespace removal alone.

Common mistakes

  • Expecting dialect-specific validation (MySQL vs PostgreSQL vs T-SQL).
  • Minifying before reviewing logic — minified SQL is harder to debug.
  • Pasting queries with vendor-only syntax not recognized by the formatter.

Privacy

SQL text stays in your browser. Nothing is executed on a remote database and nothing is uploaded to ToolsLibrary servers.

Limitations

Layout and parenthesis checks only — not a SQL linter, planner, or security scanner. Extremely large scripts may slow the editor on low-memory devices.

FAQ

Which SQL statements are supported?

SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, CREATE, ALTER, DROP, JOIN variants, GROUP BY, ORDER BY, UNION, CASE expressions, and nested subqueries.

Can I uppercase or lowercase keywords?

Yes. Choose Uppercase or Lowercase keyword casing in the options before you beautify.

Does the formatter validate SQL?

Validate checks for unbalanced parentheses and basic structural issues. It does not execute SQL or guarantee dialect-perfect syntax for every engine.

What is the difference between Beautify and Minify?

Beautify adds line breaks and indentation for readability. Minify compresses whitespace to a compact single-line or dense form.

Can I upload a .sql file?

Yes. Use Upload or drag-and-drop .sql or .txt files into the input editor, then format or minify.

Does my SQL leave the browser?

No. Formatting runs locally in Monaco. Queries are not sent to ToolsLibrary servers or executed against a database.

Which indentation options exist?

Choose 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tabs — the same controls as other ToolsLibrary code formatters.

Will JOINs and subqueries stay readable?

Beautify breaks long JOIN chains, WHERE clauses, and subqueries onto separate lines with consistent indent levels.

Can I copy or download formatted SQL?

Yes. Copy from the output pane or download after a successful beautify or minify run.