csvsql is a command-line tool included in the csvkit library, designed to generate SQL (Structured Query Language) statements for a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file or directly execute those statements on a database. It provides a convenient way to interact with CSV data using SQL, making it easier to query and manipulate the data as if it were stored in a database.
Here are the key features and functionalities of csvsql:
- SQL Statement Generation: csvsql allows you to generate SQL statements based on the structure and contents of a CSV file. It automatically infers the data types of columns and generates appropriate CREATE TABLE statements to create a corresponding database table. It also generates INSERT statements to populate the table with the data from the CSV file.
- Database Integration: csvsql can directly execute the generated SQL statements on a database. It supports a variety of databases, including popular ones like MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and Microsoft SQL Server. By connecting to a database and executing the generated SQL, csvsql can import the data from the CSV file into the database for further analysis and manipulation.
- SQL Querying: In addition to generating SQL statements for table creation and data insertion, csvsql allows you to write SQL queries against the CSV data. You can specify SQL SELECT statements to retrieve specific data from the CSV file based on various conditions and criteria. This provides powerful querying capabilities, similar to working with a traditional database.
- Flexible Configuration: csvsql offers various options to configure the SQL statement generation and execution process. You can specify the table name, column names, data types, and other properties to customize the generated SQL statements. Additionally, you can provide an existing database connection string or specify connection parameters to connect to a specific database for execution.
- Command-Line Interface: csvsql provides a command-line interface (CLI) that accepts a CSV file as input and generates SQL statements or executes them directly on a database. It allows you to specify options such as database type, connection details, table name, and query conditions through command-line arguments or configuration files.
- Integration with csvkit: csvsql is part of the csvkit library, which offers a comprehensive set of tools for working with CSV files. It seamlessly integrates with other csvkit utilities, enabling you to combine different operations and create complex data processing pipelines.
By using csvsql, you can effortlessly generate SQL statements for creating database tables and importing CSV data into a database. It also enables you to perform SQL queries against the CSV data, allowing for advanced data analysis and manipulation. csvsql provides a convenient bridge between CSV files and databases, simplifying the process of working with CSV data using SQL.
csvsql Command Examples
1. Generate a CREATE TABLE SQL statement for a CSV file:
# csvsql /path/to/data.csv
2. Import a CSV file into an SQL database:
# csvsql --insert --db "mysql://user:password@host/database" data.csv
3. Run an SQL query on a CSV file:
# csvsql --query "select * from 'data'" data.csv