What is a SQL formatter and why use one?

A SQL formatter automatically applies consistent indentation, line breaks, and keyword capitalization to SQL queries, making them easier to read and debug. Unformatted SQL is often a single dense line that is hard to understand. Formatted SQL clearly shows the query structure — which tables are joined, what conditions are applied, and how results are grouped and ordered.

Does this SQL formatter support MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server?

Yes — this formatter supports standard SQL syntax used across MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server (T-SQL), SQLite, Oracle, and most other relational databases. It handles SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, DROP, UNION, subqueries, CTEs (WITH clauses), CASE WHEN expressions, window functions (OVER, PARTITION BY), and aggregate functions.

How do I format SQL with CTEs (WITH clauses)?

CTEs (Common Table Expressions) using the WITH keyword are fully supported. Paste your WITH clause query and click Beautify — the formatter places the WITH keyword on its own line, indents the CTE body, and formats the main SELECT that follows. Load the 'Complex' sample from the toolbar to see a CTE example with window functions and multiple joins.

SQL Formatter - Free Online SQL Beautifier & Query Formatter

Free Online SQL Formatter

Our SQL formatter instantly beautifies and formats messy SQL queries into clean, readable code. Whether you're working with MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, SQLite, or Oracle, this tool handles all standard SQL syntax.

What This SQL Formatter Does

Beautify — Adds proper indentation, line breaks, and consistent formatting

Minify — Compresses SQL to a single line (useful for embedding in code)

Keyword casing — Converts keywords to UPPERCASE or lowercase

All SQL statements — SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, CREATE, ALTER, DROP, JOIN, UNION, and more

Example

Before formatting:

select u.id,u.name,o.total from users u join orders o on u.id=o.user_id where u.active=1 order by o.total desc

After formatting:

SELECT u.id, u.name, o.total FROM users u JOIN orders o ON u.id = o.user_id WHERE u.active = 1 ORDER BY o.total DESC

Supported SQL Features

SELECT, FROM, WHERE, JOIN (INNER, LEFT, RIGHT, FULL, CROSS), ON

GROUP BY, ORDER BY, HAVING, LIMIT, OFFSET, FETCH

INSERT INTO, VALUES, UPDATE, SET, DELETE FROM

CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, DROP TABLE

UNION, UNION ALL, INTERSECT, EXCEPT

Subqueries, CASE WHEN, WITH (CTEs)

AND, OR, NOT, IN, BETWEEN, LIKE, EXISTS

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a SQL formatter and why should I use one?

A SQL formatter automatically indents and reformats SQL queries according to consistent style rules. Unformatted SQL — especially complex queries with multiple JOINs, subqueries, and CTEs — is difficult to read and debug. A formatter adds line breaks, indentation, and consistent keyword casing, making queries easier to review, share with teammates, and maintain over time.

How do I format a SELECT query with multiple JOINs?

Paste your SELECT query into the input area and click Format. The formatter places each clause (SELECT, FROM, JOIN, WHERE, GROUP BY, ORDER BY) on a new line with consistent indentation. JOIN conditions appear indented under each JOIN. Column lists are aligned for readability. The result is a clean, structured query that is far easier to understand and debug than a single-line string.

Which SQL dialects does this formatter support?

This formatter supports standard SQL and is compatible with the major dialects including MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, SQL Server (T-SQL), and Oracle. It handles SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, DROP, and TRUNCATE statements. Dialect-specific functions and syntax (like PostgreSQL's :: cast operator) are preserved without modification during formatting.

What is the difference between SQL beautify and SQL minify?

SQL beautify (format) adds whitespace, line breaks, and indentation to make queries human-readable. SQL minify does the opposite — it removes all unnecessary whitespace to produce the most compact query string possible. Beautify is used during development and code review; minify is used when embedding queries in configuration files or when query length is constrained. This tool supports both modes.

How do I format a SQL query with CTEs (Common Table Expressions)?

CTEs use the WITH clause followed by named query blocks. Paste your CTE-based query into the formatter and it will indent each CTE block independently, aligning the AS keyword and formatting the inner SELECT statements. Chained CTEs (multiple WITH blocks) are each formatted on separate lines with clear visual separation, making complex analytical queries much easier to read and maintain.

SQL Formatter & Beautifier

📝 Input SQL

✅ Formatted Output