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Query Editor

The query editor is the heart of query-cli. It provides a rich SQL editing experience inside your terminal.

query-cli — Main Screen
query-cli·docme(postgres)
▶ Run (F5/Ctrl+R)·Ctrl+Ssave·(F9/Ctrl+P)commands·ctrl+cquit
Explorer
DatabaseQueries
drizzle.__drizzle_migrations
pgboss.bam
pgboss.job
pgboss.job_common
pgboss.queue
pgboss.schedule
pgboss.subscription
New query
SELECT * FROM users WHERE active = true
FROM
WHERE
Result
No results yet.F5 / ctrl+r runs the statement.

Features

Syntax Highlighting

SQL keywords, table names, and column names are highlighted in real-time as you type. The editor is schema-aware — it recognizes your database tables and columns for accurate highlighting.

Tabbed Queries

Work on multiple queries simultaneously:

  • Ctrl+N — New query
  • Ctrl+D — Delete active query
  • /switch-query — Switch between queries
  • /rename-query — Rename a query

Auto-complete

Press Tab to accept suggestions for:

  • SQL keywords (SELECT, FROM, WHERE, etc.)
  • Table names from your schema
  • Column names (with table.column support)
  • Slash commands

Running Queries

  • F5 or Ctrl+R — Run the current statement or batch
  • Statements separated by --- (3+ dashes) run independently
  • Multiple ;-separated statements run as a batch

Results

Query results appear in the bottom panel:

  • Data queries — Displayed as formatted tables
  • INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE — Show affected row count
  • Errors — Displayed with the failing statement
  • Multiple results — Tabbed result view for batch queries

Result rows are capped at a safe limit. If truncated, a warning suggests adding LIMIT or WHERE.

Clipboard

  • Ctrl+Y — Copy the current selection to your system clipboard

Save & Load

  • Ctrl+S — Save the current query with a name
  • Saved queries persist across sessions in ~/.config/query-cli/queries/
  • Unsaved queries are automatically restored on reconnect

AI Integration

Type @ai: followed by your request to generate SQL:

sql
@ai: find all users who signed up in the last 30 days

Press Enter and AI replaces the prompt with generated SQL.

Released under the MIT License.