Install and get started

Debian or Ubuntu

Download and install the latest Linux amd64 package:

tmp_deb="$(mktemp /tmp/sqview-linux-amd64.XXXXXX.deb)"
curl -fL --retry 5 --retry-all-errors --retry-delay 2 -o "$tmp_deb" \
  https://github.com/mendrik-private/sqv/releases/latest/download/sqview-linux-amd64.deb
chmod 0644 "$tmp_deb"
sudo apt install "$tmp_deb"
rm -f "$tmp_deb"

The package installs sqview. Ubuntu also has an unrelated OpenPGP tool named sqv, so use sqview to launch this application.

Linux release binary

curl -fL --retry 5 --retry-all-errors --retry-delay 2 -o sqview-linux-x86_64.tar.gz \
  https://github.com/mendrik-private/sqv/releases/latest/download/sqview-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
tar -xzf sqview-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
sudo install -m 0755 sqview /usr/local/bin/sqview

See GitHub Releases for the available versions and assets.

Build from source

Install a stable Rust toolchain, then clone and install the application:

git clone https://github.com/mendrik-private/sqv.git
cd sqv
cargo install --path . --bin sqview

You can also run directly from the checkout:

cargo run --release -- path/to/database.db

Open a database

sqview [OPTIONS] <DB_PATH>
sqview check-terminal
sqview paths

Argument or option	What it does
`DB_PATH`	Opens an existing SQLite database file; quote paths containing spaces.
`:memory:`	Opens a temporary in-memory database for this session.
`--readonly`	Disables database writes for the entire session.
`--no-watch`	Disables automatic refresh when another program changes the database files.
`--help`	Prints usage, options, and examples.
`--version`	Prints the installed version.
`check-terminal`	Prints terminal capability hints without opening a database.
`paths`	Prints configuration, data, saved-view, and SQL-history locations.

An ordinary database path must already exist. To try sqview without a file, run sqview :memory: and use the SQL console to create a table. An in-memory database disappears when you quit.

Your first session

Run sqview path/to/database.db --readonly.
In the sidebar, select a table with ↑ and ↓, then press Enter.
Move through cells with the arrow keys. Press v to inspect a whole record.
Press Esc to close the record, then Ctrl-F to find a row.
Press Ctrl-P, type a command name, and press Enter to run it.
Press Ctrl-Q to quit.

Use browsing to learn tabs, panels, and large-table navigation.