SQL Formatter
Format and beautify SQL queries with syntax highlighting. Clean up messy SQL, customize indentation style, and improve code readability. All processing happens locally in your browser.
Formatting Options
Formatted SQL will appear here...
Features
🎨 Syntax Highlighting
Keywords, strings, numbers, comments, and functions are color-coded for easy reading.
📐 Smart Indentation
Automatically formats clauses like SELECT, FROM, WHERE, and JOIN on separate lines.
🔒 100% Client-Side
Your SQL never leaves your browser. Safe for sensitive queries and production code.
Table of Contents
What is SQL Formatting?
SQL formatting (also called SQL beautifying or pretty-printing) is the process of transforming raw SQL queries into a more readable, well-structured format. This includes adding consistent indentation, placing major clauses on separate lines, and optionally standardizing keyword casing.
A well-formatted SQL query makes it easier to understand the query's logic, identify potential issues, and collaborate with other developers. While SQL databases don't care about formatting (they parse and execute the same regardless), humans certainly do!
Before Formatting:
select id, name, email from users where status = 'active' and created_at > '2024-01-01' order by name;
After Formatting:
SELECT id, name, email FROM users WHERE status = 'active' AND created_at > '2024-01-01' ORDER BY name;
Why Format SQL?
📖 Improved Readability
Properly formatted SQL is significantly easier to read and understand. When each clause starts on its own line, you can quickly scan the query structure and identify what tables are involved, what filters are applied, and how the results are sorted.
🐛 Easier Debugging
When debugging complex queries, formatted SQL helps you isolate problems. You can more easily spot missing JOINs, incorrect WHERE conditions, or grouping issues when the query is properly structured.
👥 Team Collaboration
Consistent SQL formatting across a team makes code reviews faster and reduces confusion. When everyone follows the same style, it's easier to compare queries and share knowledge.
📝 Better Documentation
Well-formatted SQL queries are self-documenting to some extent. The structure itself communicates intent, and it's easier to add meaningful comments when the code is clean.
🔄 Version Control
Consistently formatted SQL produces cleaner diffs in version control. Changes are easier to review when formatting is consistent, and you won't have false-positive changes from whitespace differences.
SQL Formatting Best Practices
Use Uppercase Keywords
While SQL keywords are case-insensitive, using uppercase for reserved words
(SELECT, FROM, WHERE)
helps distinguish them from column and table names.
One Clause Per Line
Place major clauses on separate lines. This makes it easy to scan the query structure and understand what each part does without reading every word.
Indent Continuation Lines
When a clause spans multiple lines (like multiple AND conditions), indent the continuation lines to show they belong to the same clause.
Align Related Items
For long SELECT lists or complex conditions, consider aligning items vertically. This makes it easier to compare similar items and spot patterns or errors.
Use Meaningful Aliases
When aliasing tables, use descriptive abbreviations. Instead of a, b, use u for users, o for orders, etc.
Comment Complex Logic
Add comments to explain non-obvious logic, business rules, or why certain optimizations
were chosen. Use -- comment for single-line comments.
Common SQL Patterns
Basic SELECT Query
SELECT column1, column2, column3 FROM table_name WHERE condition = 'value' ORDER BY column1 DESC LIMIT 10;
JOIN Query
SELECT u.name, o.order_date, o.total FROM users u INNER JOIN orders o ON u.id = o.user_id WHERE o.status = 'completed';
Aggregation with GROUP BY
SELECT category, COUNT(*) AS item_count, AVG(price) AS avg_price FROM products GROUP BY category HAVING COUNT(*) > 5 ORDER BY avg_price DESC;
Common Table Expression (CTE)
WITH active_users AS ( SELECT id, name, email FROM users WHERE status = 'active' ) SELECT au.name, COUNT(o.id) AS order_count FROM active_users au LEFT JOIN orders o ON au.id = o.user_id GROUP BY au.id, au.name;
Frequently Asked Questions
This formatter supports standard SQL syntax and works well with most SQL dialects including PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, and Oracle. It recognizes common keywords, functions, and syntax patterns from all major database systems.
No. All formatting happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your SQL queries never leave your device, making this tool safe for sensitive production queries or queries containing confidential business logic.
No. SQL formatting only affects whitespace and character casing. The formatted query is semantically identical to the original and will produce exactly the same results when executed. Databases ignore whitespace and treat keywords as case-insensitive.
Using uppercase for SQL keywords (SELECT, FROM, WHERE) is a widely-adopted convention that helps visually distinguish reserved words from table names, column names, and aliases. This makes queries easier to scan and understand at a glance.
Yes! Simply separate your queries with semicolons. The formatter will detect each statement and format them independently, maintaining proper separation between queries.
Yes. Both single-line comments (-- comment) and multi-line
comments (/* comment */) are preserved in the formatted output.
Comments are displayed in a distinct color in the syntax highlighting.
2 spaces is the most common choice for SQL, as it keeps queries compact while still providing clear visual structure. 4 spaces is another popular option if you prefer more visual separation. Choose based on your team's coding standards.
This formatter focuses on DML and DDL statements. While it will format the SQL portions of stored procedures, procedural elements (IF statements, loops, variable declarations) may not be formatted as expected. For complex procedural code, consider using your IDE's built-in formatter.