cxsql

cxsql is a mouse-first SQL terminal client for people who want a practical database workspace without leaving the terminal. It combines saved connections, an object explorer, SQL editor tabs, result grids, table metadata, query history, CSV export, and copy workflows in a cross-platform TUI.

Highlights

• Connect to SQLite, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and MySQL.
• Save connection profiles locally as JSON.
• Browse database objects in a left-side explorer.
• Double-click tables and views to preview data.
• Open table details for structure, constraints, indexes, triggers, and DDL.
• Run SQL in tabbed editors with syntax highlighting and completion.
• Work with results in a sortable, filterable grid.
• Generate SQL from result-grid column sort and filter actions.
• Export visible result data to CSV or copy it as tab-delimited text.
• Review and reload previous queries from local history.

Install

dotnet tool install --global cxsql
cxsql

Use

Start cxsql, create or open a connection, then use the object tree and editor together:

• Double-click a saved connection to open it.
• Double-click a table or view to run a preview query.
• Right-click a table or view and choose Open Details to inspect metadata.
• Right-click a result-grid header to sort or build a SQL filter.
• Use the ResultGrid actions to export CSV, copy all rows, or clear filters.
• Use F5 to execute the active SQL editor.

Logs

cxsql keeps runtime diagnostics out of the interactive TUI. Warning and error logs are written under ~/.cxsql/logs using a per-startup file name such as cxsql-20260629-143015.log.

At startup, cxsql automatically deletes its own log files older than 30 days.

Build

dotnet tool restore
dotnet build cxsql.slnx
dotnet test cxsql.slnx

Database provider integration tests use a local Docker engine to start isolated MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server containers. SQLite uses a temporary file:

dotnet test tests/cxsql.IntegrationTests/cxsql.IntegrationTests.csproj

Run From Source

dotnet run --project src/cxsql/cxsql.csproj

Format

dotnet tool run csharpier -- check .
dotnet tool run csharpier -- format .

Publish

The Publish GitHub Actions workflow runs from version tags and manual dispatches. It builds Native AOT dotnet-tool packages with the multi-RID package pattern:

• platform-specific packages: dotnet pack -p:ToolType=aot --use-current-runtime
• agnostic package: dotnet pack -p:ToolType=aot
• collected artifact: all-aot-packages

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