SQL Formatter

What is an SQL Formatter?

An SQL Formatter is an essential tool for database developers, administrators, and anyone working with SQL queries. It takes messy, unreadable SQL code and transforms it into clean, well-structured, and properly indented code that follows best practices and industry standards.

This tool automatically formats your SQL queries with consistent indentation, proper keyword capitalization, and logical line breaks, making your code more readable and maintainable.

Why Format Your SQL Code?

SELECT customer_id,first_name,last_name,email,phone,address,city,state,zip_code,country FROM customers WHERE active=1 AND (registration_date>'2023-01-01' OR (status='premium' AND plan_duration>12)) ORDER BY last_name ASC,first_name ASC LIMIT 100;

SELECT
    customer_id,
    first_name,
    last_name,
    email,
    phone,
    address,
    city,
    state,
    zip_code,
    country
FROM customers
WHERE active = 1
    AND (
        registration_date > '2023-01-01'
        OR (
            status = 'premium'
            AND plan_duration > 12
        )
    )
ORDER BY
    last_name ASC,
    first_name ASC
LIMIT 100;

Key Features of Our SQL Formatter

1. Intelligent Indentation

Automatically indents SQL clauses, subqueries, and nested expressions to create a visual hierarchy:

SELECT 
    customer_name,
    COUNT(order_id) as total_orders,
    SUM(order_amount) as total_spent
FROM customers c
LEFT JOIN orders o 
    ON c.customer_id = o.customer_id
WHERE c.active = 1
    AND o.order_date >= '2023-01-01'
GROUP BY c.customer_name
HAVING COUNT(order_id) > 5
ORDER BY total_spent DESC;

2. Keyword Standardization

Converts SQL keywords to consistent casing (UPPERCASE by default) for better readability:

-- Before formatting
select CustomerID, FirstName, LastName from customers where active = 1;

-- After formatting
SELECT CustomerID, FirstName, LastName 
FROM customers 
WHERE active = 1;

3. Alignment and Spacing

Aligns columns in SELECT statements and adds consistent spacing around operators:

-- Misaligned and cramped
SELECT product_id,name,price,category FROM products WHERE price>100 AND stock<50;

-- Properly aligned and spaced
SELECT
    product_id,
    name,
    price,
    category
FROM products
WHERE price > 100
    AND stock < 50;

4. Line Breaking Strategy

Breaks long lines at logical points based on your selected line length limit:

-- Before (exceeds line length)
SELECT customer_id, first_name, last_name, email, phone, registration_date, last_login, total_orders, total_spent, preferred_category FROM customers WHERE active = 1 ORDER BY total_spent DESC;

-- After (with line breaks)
SELECT
    customer_id,
    first_name,
    last_name,
    email,
    phone,
    registration_date,
    last_login,
    total_orders,
    total_spent,
    preferred_category
FROM customers
WHERE active = 1
ORDER BY total_spent DESC;

Supported SQL Dialects

Our formatter supports multiple SQL dialects with dialect-specific formatting rules:

• MySQL: Supports backtick identifiers, AUTO_INCREMENT, ENGINE specifications
• PostgreSQL: Handles double quote identifiers, WITH clauses, window functions
• SQL Server: Formats square bracket identifiers, TOP clauses, T-SQL extensions
• Oracle: Processes double quote identifiers, PL/SQL blocks, hierarchical queries
• SQLite: Supports SQLite-specific syntax and pragma statements
• ANSI SQL: Standard SQL formatting compliant with ANSI specifications

Best Practices for SQL Formatting

1. Consistent Indentation: Use 2 or 4 spaces consistently (never mix tabs and spaces)
2. Keyword Capitalization: Always capitalize SQL keywords for better visibility
3. Column Alignment: Align columns in SELECT statements for quick scanning
4. Logical Line Breaks: Break lines after commas, keywords, and logical operators
5. Parenthesis Spacing: Add spaces around operators but not inside parentheses
6. Comment Consistency: Use consistent comment styles (-- for single line, /* */ for blocks)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)