SQLite has introduced the FORMAT() function, which can be used to format strings.

More precisely, it has actually just renamed its SQL PRINTF() function to FORMAT(). The reason is for better compatibility with other DBMSs. The original PRINTF() name is retained as an alias for backwards compatibility.

The FORMAT() function (or its naming) was introduced in SQLite 3.38.0, which was released on 22 February 2022.

Example

Here’s an example to demonstrate:

SELECT 
    PRINTF("%,d", 123456789) AS PRINTF,
    FORMAT("%,d", 123456789) AS FORMAT;

Result:

PRINTF       FORMAT     
-----------  -----------
123,456,789  123,456,789

We can see that FORMAT() is used in the same way that PRINTF() is used, and its result is the same.

See SQLite’s documentation for the FORMAT() function for an overview of the function.

Also see SQLite’s documentation for PRINTF() for a detailed explanation.