# usql — Universal Command-Line SQL Client for Every Database

> A universal command-line interface for PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, Oracle, SQL Server, and 40+ other databases with auto-completion and consistent syntax.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# usql — Universal Command-Line SQL Client for Every Database

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install via Go
go install github.com/xo/usql@latest

# Or via Homebrew
brew install xo/xo/usql

# Connect to PostgreSQL
usql postgres://user:pass@localhost/mydb

# Connect to MySQL
usql mysql://user:pass@localhost/mydb

# Connect to SQLite
usql sqlite:///path/to/db.sqlite3
```

## Introduction
usql is a universal command-line SQL client inspired by psql. It provides a single binary that connects to PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, Oracle, CockroachDB, and over 40 other database engines using a consistent URL-based connection string format. Instead of installing and learning separate CLI tools for each database, developers use one tool with familiar readline editing, tab completion, and backslash meta-commands across all supported engines.

## What usql Does
- Connects to 40+ database engines through a unified URL connection string syntax
- Provides psql-style backslash commands (d, dt, di, l) that work across databases
- Supports readline-based editing with tab completion for tables and columns
- Outputs query results in multiple formats: aligned, CSV, JSON, HTML, and vertical
- Executes SQL scripts from files with variable substitution and conditional logic

## Architecture Overview
usql is a single Go binary that dynamically loads database drivers at compile time. Each connection URL scheme (postgres://, mysql://, sqlite://) maps to the appropriate Go database/sql driver. The shell layer wraps the driver with readline support, backslash command parsing, and output formatting. Metadata introspection commands are translated to the appropriate INFORMATION_SCHEMA or catalog queries for each engine.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install a single static binary with no runtime dependencies
- Set `USQL_DSN` environment variable for a default connection
- Configure `.usqlrc` for startup commands, prompt format, and output preferences
- Use `copy` to import and export CSV data across different database types
- Pass `-c` for non-interactive single-command execution in scripts

## Key Features
- One binary replaces psql, mysql, sqlite3, sqlcmd, and dozens of other clients
- Consistent backslash commands for schema introspection across all engines
- Copy data between different database types with `copy`
- Syntax highlighting and auto-completion in the interactive shell
- Supports ODBC and ADODB for connecting to any database with a driver

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **psql** — PostgreSQL only; usql covers 40+ databases with similar UX
- **mycli / pgcli** — single-database CLIs with rich auto-complete; usql trades depth for breadth
- **DBeaver** — full GUI client; usql is terminal-native and scriptable
- **dbcli** — Python-based per-database CLIs; usql is a single Go binary for all
- **DataGrip** — commercial IDE; usql is free, lightweight, and shell-friendly

## FAQ
**Q: Which databases does usql support?**
A: Over 40 engines including PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, Oracle, CockroachDB, Cassandra, MongoDB, Snowflake, BigQuery, ClickHouse, and more.

**Q: Can I use usql in scripts?**
A: Yes. Use `usql -c "SELECT ..." postgres://...` for one-shot queries, or pipe SQL files with `usql postgres://... < script.sql`.

**Q: Does it support SSH tunneling?**
A: usql itself does not handle SSH tunneling, but you can use standard SSH port forwarding and connect to the forwarded local port.

**Q: How do I switch output format?**
A: Use `pset format csv` or `pset format json` to change the output format within a session.

## Sources
- https://github.com/xo/usql
- https://github.com/xo/usql#database-support

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/bac4c91b-3d5a-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: AI Open Source