Question 1

How do I format SQL files from the command line with SQL Formatter?

Accepted Answer

Install via npm and use the 'sql-formatter' CLI tool, which accepts input from stdin or files, with options to specify dialect and output location, as detailed in the usage section.

Question 2

SQL Formatter vs prettier-plugin-sql-cst: which is better?

Accepted Answer

SQL Formatter is more configurable and supports many dialects, but prettier-plugin-sql-cst offers better long-expression handling and tighter Prettier integration, though with fewer dialect options. The README recommends the latter for advanced use cases.

Question 3

Why does SQL Formatter throw 'Parse error: Unexpected ...' errors?

Accepted Answer

This typically occurs when the SQL dialect isn't specified; ensure you set the 'language' option (e.g., 'transactsql' for brackets) to match your syntax, as explained in the FAQ.

Question 4

Can SQL Formatter handle SQL with templating syntax like {variables}?

Accepted Answer

Not directly, but you can use the 'paramTypes' option to treat templating constructs as placeholders, though this workaround may not support all complex templating languages, as mentioned in the README.

Question 5

How to disable formatting for a specific section of SQL code?

Accepted Answer

Surround the code with /* sql-formatter-disable */ and /* sql-formatter-enable */ comments; the formatter will skip parsing and formatting that block, useful for problematic SQL snippets.

Question 6

Is SQL Formatter still actively developed or maintained?

Accepted Answer

No, it's in maintenance mode with only bug fixes, and the author has moved to prettier-plugin-sql-cst for new features, so expect limited future updates.

SQL Formatter

What is SQL Formatter?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Found a gem we're missing?

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions