SQL Formatter

What is SQL?

SQL (Structured Query Language) is the standard language for querying and managing data in relational databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, and SQLite. A typical statement combines clauses like SELECT, FROM, JOIN, WHERE, GROUP BY, and ORDER BY to describe exactly which rows and columns you want.

Because SQL ignores most extra whitespace, the same query can be written on one giant line or spread across dozens of neatly indented lines — and databases run both identically. That flexibility is great for machines but hard on humans: long, unformatted queries are difficult to read, review, and debug.

A SQL formatter (or beautifier) re-lays a query into a clean, consistent shape. Formatly's Format action uppercases keywords and applies uniform indentation so clauses, joins, and subqueries line up predictably. The Minify action does the opposite: it strips comments and collapses all whitespace onto a single compact line while leaving string literals and quoted identifiers byte-for-byte intact.

This tool is a pretty-printer, not a dialect-aware validator, so it does not run or check your query against a specific database engine — it focuses purely on readable, consistent layout. Use the Indent control to choose 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or a tab.

How to use the SQL Formatter

1. Paste your SQL query into the editor, or load example data to try it out.
2. Set the Indent control to 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or Tab to match your team's style.
3. Click Format to pretty-print the query with consistent indentation and uppercase keywords.
4. Or click Minify to strip comments and collapse the query onto a single compact line.
5. Read the formatted result in the output pane, then click Copy to copy it or Download to save it as a file.
6. Use Clear to reset both panes and start over with a new query.

SQL example: before & after

The messy single-line SELECT becomes a clean, multi-line query: keywords are uppercased, each clause sits on its own line, and the JOIN, WHERE, and ORDER BY conditions are indented so the structure is instantly readable.

Before

select id,name,email from users u join orders o on o.user_id=u.id where u.active=1 and o.total>100 order by o.created_at desc;

After

SELECT
  id,
  name,
  email
FROM
  users u
  JOIN orders o ON o.user_id = u.id
WHERE
  u.active = 1
  AND o.total > 100
ORDER BY
  o.created_at DESC;

Formatter vs beautifier vs validator vs minifier

Formatly offers two opposite SQL transformations, and the one you want depends on whether a human or a machine is reading the query next:

• Format (beautify) expands a query for readability. It uppercases keywords and applies consistent indentation so clauses, joins, and subqueries are easy to scan, review in a pull request, or debug. Use it whenever you or a teammate need to read the SQL.
• Minify compresses a query for compactness. It strips -- and /* */ comments and squeezes all whitespace onto a single line, while keeping string literals and quoted identifiers untouched. Use it when you want to store or embed the query — for example inside source code, a config value, or a log line.

Both actions leave the query's logic identical; only the layout changes. There is no validate step here because this tool is a pretty-printer, not a dialect-aware SQL checker.

Common SQL errors and how to fix them

• Inconsistent keyword casing — mixing select, Where, and JOIN in the same query. Click Format. Formatly uppercases all keywords (SELECT, WHERE, JOIN) for a uniform, professional look.
• No indentation on joins and subqueries, so the query structure is impossible to follow. Format the query to apply consistent, nested indentation that aligns each JOIN, ON, and nested SELECT.
• A long single-line query that scrolls far off the right edge of the screen. Click Format to break the statement across multiple lines, putting each major clause on its own line.
• Mixed tabs and spaces produce ragged, jumpy indentation across editors. Pick one option in the Indent control (2 spaces, 4 spaces, or Tab) and Format to apply it uniformly throughout.
• Comments and extra whitespace bloat a query you want to embed in code. Click Minify to strip comments and collapse whitespace into one compact line, with string literals preserved.

Private by design

Every byte you paste into the SQL Formatter is processed locally in your browser. Formatly makes no network request with your data, logs nothing, and stores nothing on any server — so it is safe for API responses, tokens, configuration and other sensitive content. Your most recent input and theme are saved only in your own browser's local storage.

SQL Formatter FAQ

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