sqlite - Man Page

sqlite is a terminal-based front-end to the SQLite library. It enables you to type in queries interactively, issue them to SQLite and see the results. Alternatively, you can specify SQL code on the command-line. In addition it provides a number of meta-commands.

To start the sqlite program, just type "sqlite" followed by the name the file that holds the SQLite database. If the file does not exist, a new one is created automatically. The sqlite program will then prompt you to enter SQL. Type in SQL statements (terminated by a semicolon), press "Enter" and the SQL will be executed.

For example, to create a new SQLite database named "ex1" with a single table named "tbl1", you might do this:

$ sqlite ex1
SQLite version 2.0.0
Enter ".help" for instructions
sqlite> create table tbl1(one varchar(10), two smallint);
sqlite> insert into tbl1 values('hello!',10);
sqlite> insert into tbl1 values('goodbye', 20);
sqlite> select * from tbl1;
hello!|10
goodbye|20
sqlite>

Most of the time, sqlite just reads lines of input and passes them on to the SQLite library for execution. But if an input line begins with a dot ("."), then that line is intercepted and interpreted by the sqlite program itself. These "dot commands" are typically used to change the output format of queries, or to execute certain prepackaged query statements.

For a listing of the available dot commands, you can enter ".help" at any time. For example:

sqlite> .help
.dump ?TABLE? ...      Dump the database in an text format
.echo ON|OFF           Turn command echo on or off
.exit                  Exit this program
.explain ON|OFF        Turn output mode suitable for EXPLAIN on or off.
                       "off" will revert to the output mode that was
                       previously in effect
.header(s) ON|OFF      Turn display of headers on or off
.help                  Show this message
.indices TABLE         Show names of all indices on TABLE
.mode MODE             Set mode to one of "line(s)", "column(s)",
                       "insert", "list", or "html"
.mode insert TABLE     Generate SQL insert statements for TABLE
.nullvalue STRING      Print STRING instead of nothing for NULL data
.output FILENAME       Send output to FILENAME
.output stdout         Send output to the screen
.prompt MAIN CONTINUE  Replace the standard prompts
                       "sqlite > " and "   ...> "
                       with the strings MAIN and CONTINUE
                       CONTINUE is optional.
.quit                  Exit this program
.read FILENAME         Execute SQL in FILENAME
.reindex ?TABLE?       Rebuild indices
.schema ?TABLE?        Show the CREATE statements
.separator STRING      Change separator string for "list" mode
.show                  Show the current values for the following:
                       .echo
                       .explain
                       .mode
                       .nullvalue
                       .output
                       .separator
                       .width
.tables ?PATTERN?      List names of tables matching a pattern
.timeout MS            Try opening locked tables for MS milliseconds
.width NUM NUM ...     Set column widths for "column" mode
sqlite>