Does formatting change how my query executes?

No. SQL formatting only adds or removes whitespace and optionally normalizes keyword casing — both of which SQL engines completely ignore during parsing. The query optimizer sees identical input regardless of indentation, line breaks, or whether keywords are uppercase or lowercase. Formatted and minified versions of the same query produce byte-identical execution plans and results.

How does it handle subqueries?

Subqueries are indented one level deeper than their containing clause. A subquery in a FROM clause (derived table) gets its own SELECT/FROM/WHERE alignment, wrapped in parentheses on its own line. A correlated subquery in a WHERE clause is indented below the WHERE keyword. Nested subqueries indent progressively — each additional level adds one more indent, keeping deep nesting readable.

Are SQL comments preserved?

Yes. Both single-line comments (`-- comment text`) and multi-line block comments (`/* comment text */`) are preserved in the formatted output. Inline comments after a clause (e.g., `WHERE id = 1 -- filter active`) stay on the same line. Multi-line comments before a statement are placed on their own lines above the statement. Comment content is never modified or removed.

Is there a query size limit?

No server-side size limit applies since all formatting runs in your browser using JavaScript — no file is uploaded. Very large queries (thousands of lines, complex CTEs with multiple levels of nesting) may take 1–2 seconds to format but will complete. The practical limit is browser memory. Queries under 1MB format instantly; break up extremely large query files into logical sections for readability.

What is the difference between formatting and minifying SQL?

Formatting adds indentation and line breaks so the query is easy to read and review in an editor or pull request. Minifying removes all line breaks and extra whitespace, collapsing the query to a single line — useful for embedding SQL in application code, logs, or migration strings where whitespace wastes bytes. Both operations are lossless: the query's logic, table names, and values are untouched, so formatted and minified versions execute identically.

Is my SQL query sent to a server?

No. The formatter tokenizes and reformats the query entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is uploaded, logged, or stored — not even temporarily. It is safe to paste queries containing real table names, column names, and schema details. The tool works fully offline once the page is loaded.

developer

Free SQL Formatter — Format & Beautify SQL Queries Online

An SQL formatter takes raw or concatenated SQL and returns it with consistent indentation, uppercase keywords, and aligned clauses — making it readable for code review, documentation, and debugging. Supports standard SQL, MySQL, and PostgreSQL syntax in your browser.

Free — No SignupRuns in BrowserData Never UploadedPopular tool

developer

Format and beautify SQL queries with consistent indentation and keyword casing.

Formats SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, CREATE TABLE, and ALTER TABLE statements
Configurable keyword casing: UPPERCASE, lowercase, or preserve original
Subquery-aware: nested blocks indented to their own visual level
JOIN formatting with ON conditions broken to their own line
SQL minifier mode — collapse to a single line for embedding in code or logs
Runs entirely in the browser — no SQL is uploaded or stored
Adjustable indent size (2 or 4 spaces) to match team style guides

Features

Everything you need in one SQL Formatter

SQL beautifier

Turns a single-line query into readable SQL with each clause — SELECT, FROM, WHERE, JOIN, GROUP BY — on its own line and columns aligned underneath.

Keyword casing control

Uppercase keywords for the classic SQL look, lowercase them for a modern style, or preserve the original casing — applied consistently across the entire query.

Subquery & join aware

Nested subqueries are indented into their own block, joins break onto new lines with their ON conditions, and CREATE TABLE column lists are aligned.

SQL minifier

Collapse a formatted query back to a single line for embedding in application code, logs, or migration scripts — without changing what the query does.

How It Works

How to use SQL Formatter

Paste your SQL

Paste any raw or minified SQL query — SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, CREATE TABLE.

Choose dialect

Select MySQL, PostgreSQL, or standard SQL. Toggle keyword uppercasing and indent size.

Copy output

The formatted SQL appears instantly. Copy to clipboard for your editor or documentation.

Format Comparison

SQL SELECT clause order

Clause	Purpose
SELECT	Columns and expressions to return
FROM	Source tables, with table aliases
JOIN … ON	Combine rows from related tables
WHERE	Filter rows before grouping
GROUP BY	Collapse rows into aggregate groups
HAVING	Filter groups after aggregation
ORDER BY	Sort the final result set
LIMIT / OFFSET	Restrict how many rows are returned

Troubleshooting

How to fix common syntax errors

Most “invalid JSON” failures come from a small set of mistakes. Paste the failing JSON above, click Validate, and the tool points you at the exact line and column.

Unmatched parenthesesSELECT id FROM (SELECT id FROM users

Count opening and closing parentheses — the formatter highlights the mismatch. Add the missing closing paren before the outer query's semicolon.

Double-quoted strings instead of identifiersSELECT "name" FROM users WHERE status = "active"

In SQL, double quotes denote identifiers (column/table names), not string literals. Use single quotes for string values: WHERE status = 'active'.

MySQL backtick identifiers break in PostgreSQLSELECT `user_id` FROM `orders`

Backticks are MySQL-only. In PostgreSQL, use double-quoted identifiers (`"user_id"`) or unquoted names. Run a global replace before migrating queries across dialects.

Leading comma in SELECT causes parse error

SELECT id
  , name
  , email

SQL does not allow a leading comma before the first column. Use trailing commas (comma at the end of each line except the last) — this is ANSI-valid and produces cleaner diffs.

Reserved word used as bare column aliasSELECT COUNT(*) AS count FROM orders

COUNT, ORDER, GROUP, and similar reserved words cause parse errors as bare aliases in strict engines. Quote the alias: AS "count" (PostgreSQL) or AS `count` (MySQL).

Missing semicolon between statements in a script

SELECT 1
SELECT 2

Most SQL engines require a semicolon to terminate each statement in a multi-statement script. Add a semicolon after each statement — the formatter will preserve it in the output.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Standard ANSI SQL, MySQL 5.7+, MySQL 8+, and PostgreSQL 14+ are all supported. All common DML statements (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, MERGE) and DDL (CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, DROP, CREATE INDEX) are formatted. Dialect-specific syntax — MySQL's backtick identifiers, PostgreSQL's `::` cast syntax, and dialect-specific functions — is preserved without modification.

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References

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