What ?TABLE? Means When using .help mode in DuckDB

If you’ve ever run .help mode in the DuckDB command line interface (CLI), you may have noticed that it returns information about the .mode command, including its syntax.

You might’ve noticed that there’s a ?TABLE? part in the syntax. What’s this about? Maybe you’ve tried it out and found that it didn’t appear to do anything?

In this article, I’ll explain what the ?TABLE? part is for, and I’ll run an example to demonstrate.

Continue reading

How to Output Query Results as JSON in the DuckDB CLI

DuckDB is a lightweight, fast database management system designed for analytics and embedded use cases. Its versatility makes it an excellent choice for developers and data analysts.

One useful feature of DuckDB is the ability to output query results in different formats, such as JSON, directly from the command-line interface (CLI). By default, the DuckDB CLI uses the duckbox output mode for query results (which outputs the results in a table-like format), but we can change that.

In this article, we’ll walk through the steps to output query results as JSON when using the DuckDB CLI.

Continue reading

What is NDJSON?

Newline Delimited JSON (NDJSON) is a specialized data format that provides a simple yet powerful way to handle streaming JSON data. While standard JSON is excellent for representing structured data, NDJSON addresses specific use cases where processing large datasets and streaming data is required.

This article takes a quick look at NDJSON and how it differs from regular JSON.

Continue reading

What is JSON?

JavaScript Object Notation, commonly known as JSON, is a lightweight, text-based data interchange format that has become one of the most widely used standards for transmitting data across the internet.

Despite its origins in JavaScript, JSON has evolved into a language-independent format, making it an essential tool for developers working with any programming language or platform.

Continue reading

How to Change the Output Mode in the DuckDB CLI

DuckDB is a database management system tailored for analytical tasks. Its command line interface (CLI) provides a convenient way to interact with databases and execute queries. The CLI provides us with the ability to configure the output mode for query results, offering flexibility in how data is displayed or exported.

This article provides a quick overview of how to change the output mode in the DuckDB CLI.

Continue reading

5 Ways to Create a Database in DuckDB

DuckDB is a lightweight, high-performance database system designed for analytical workloads. As with any database management system (DBMS), one of the first things we normally want to do when we launch it is to create or open a database.

When it comes to creating a database, you can’t create a database in DuckDB by using the SQL CREATE DATABASE statement (unless you’re using a tool that allows you to do so). DuckDB works differently.

In this article, we look at various options for creating a database in DuckDB.

Continue reading

Getting Started with DuckDB Command Line Interface

DuckDB is a high-performance in-process analytical database management system, often referred to as the “SQLite for analytics.” Its Command Line Interface (CLI) is a useful tool for executing SQL queries, managing databases, and exploring DuckDB’s features.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to the basics of using DuckDB’s CLI, helping beginners and advanced users alike understand how to leverage it effectively.

Continue reading