🦆 DuckDB for VS Code

An unofficial DuckDB extension for Visual Studio Code. Query CSV, Parquet and JSON files directly. Connect to .duckdb, S3, Postgres, Google Sheets and more.

Query Parquet files directly

Live Preview

Database Explorer

Overview

This extension brings DuckDB directly into VS Code with a focus on creating a productive "DuckDB workspace". Write and execute SQL queries, view results with column statistics, explore database schemas, and manage multiple database connections.

How It Works

All queries execute using the DuckDB Node API embedded in VS Code. By default, queries run against an in-memory database that resets when VS Code closes. You can attach persistent .duckdb files or connect to remote sources like Postgres, S3, or Google Sheets.

Performance Note: When you execute a query, the extension will create a temporary table which is then used for pagination, sorting, filtering, and exporting.

Features

SQL Execution

Execute queries — Cmd+Enter (Mac) / Ctrl+Enter (Windows/Linux)
Run individual statements — CodeLens "Run" buttons above each SQL statement
SQL autocomplete — Table names, columns, functions, and keywords. Can be disabled in settings.
SQL formatting — Format Document and Format Selection support with configurable keyword casing, indentation style, and logical operator placement
Inline diagnostics — Success confirmations with execution time and error messages shown inline after each statement

File Integration

Right-click to query — Select files in Explorer → "DuckDB: Query File". CSV, Parquet, JSON, JSONL, TSV, and XLSX supported.
Summarize files — Quick data profiling with SUMMARIZE
.duckdb file association — Files with the .duckdb extension are treated as SQL with full editor support

Results Table

Server-side pagination — Handle millions of rows efficiently via cached temp tables
Quick Column sorting — Click headers to sort ASC/DESC
Quick Column filtering — Filter by values, ranges, or patterns
Cell selection — Click, Shift+click for ranges, copy to clipboard
Cell expansion — Double-click to view full values (JSON syntax highlighted)
Export options — CSV, Parquet, JSON, JSONL, or open in new tab

Column Statistics

Top values — Most frequent values for string columns
Descriptive stats — Min, max, mean, percentiles, null counts
Distribution histograms — Visual distribution for numeric columns

Database Explorer

Manage databases — Create, attach, and switch between databases
Status bar selector — Quick database switching
Schema browser — Databases → Schemas → Tables/Views → Columns
Quick actions — SELECT TOP 100, DESCRIBE, SUMMARIZE, View Definition, Drop Table

Inline Peek Results

Peek results — CodeLens "Peek" button above each statement opens an inline preview without leaving the editor
Execute on demand — Peek runs the query automatically if no cached results exist
Live preview mode — Optionally auto-refreshes results as you type (off by default, enable with duckdb.peekResults.livePreview)

Important: Remote Data Sources & Live Preview

If your queries reference remote sources (HTTP URLs, S3, GCS, Azure), live preview can cause excessive network requests since it re-executes the query on every keystroke (debounced). This also applies to indirect remote access through views, attached remote databases, or table functions that wrap remote sources — cases the extension cannot always detect automatically.

Strongly recommended: Install the cache_httpfs community extension to cache HTTP responses locally:
INSTALL cache_httpfs FROM community;
LOAD cache_httpfs;
Or add it to your workspace auto-load setting:
{ "duckdb.extensions.autoLoad": ["cache_httpfs"] }
The extension will prompt you to install cache_httpfs if it detects remote URLs in your SQL, but it cannot detect all cases (e.g., views over remote tables, attached remote databases). If you work with remote data, enable cache_httpfs proactively.

Extensions

Managed extensions — View, install, load, and configure extensions
Auto-load on startup — Configured extensions install and load automatically
Context-aware actions — Right-click to load, add/remove from auto-load

Query History

Automatic tracking — All queries saved with metadata
Re-run queries — Click to execute again
Open in editor — Edit and modify past queries
Optional persistence — Save to .vscode/duckdb-history.db

Settings

Configure in .vscode/settings.json or VS Code Settings UI:

Database Configuration

`duckdb.databases`

Databases to auto-attach on startup.

{
  "duckdb.databases": [
    {
      "alias": "analytics",
      "type": "file",
      "path": "./data/analytics.duckdb",
      "readOnly": false,
      "attached": true
    },
    {
      "alias": "s3_data",
      "type": "file",
      "path": "s3://bucket/path/to/data.duckdb",
      "readOnly": true,
      "attached": true
    },
    {
      "alias": "postgres_mirror",
      "type": "manual",
      "sql": "ATTACH 'postgres://user:pass@host/db' AS postgres_mirror (TYPE postgres, READ_ONLY)"
    }
  ]
}

Property	Type	Description
`alias`	string	Database name to use in queries
`type`	`"memory"` \| `"file"` \| `"manual"`	Database type
`path`	string	Path to .duckdb file (for `file` type)
`readOnly`	boolean	Open in read-only mode (default: `false`)
`attached`	boolean	Auto-attach on startup (default: `true`)
`sql`	string	Raw ATTACH statement (for `manual` type)

`duckdb.defaultDatabase`

Database to USE after attaching (default: "memory").

`duckdb.extensions.autoLoad`

Extensions to automatically install and load on startup.

{
  "duckdb.extensions.autoLoad": ["httpfs", "parquet", "json", "postgres"]
}

Inline Preview

`duckdb.peekResults.livePreview`

Enable live preview mode (default: false). When enabled, peeking a statement will auto-refresh results as you type. See the warning above about remote data sources.

`duckdb.peekResults.maxRows`

Maximum rows in the peek preview (default: 50, range: 5–500).

`duckdb.peekResults.debounceMs`

Debounce delay in ms for live preview (default: 600, range: 200–5000). Higher values reduce query frequency.

Results Display

`duckdb.resultsLocation`

Where to open query results (default: "active").

Value	Description
`beside`	Open in a new editor group beside the SQL file
`active`	Open in the same editor group as the SQL file

Tip: To open results below your SQL file instead of beside it, set VS Code's workbench.editor.openSideBySideDirection to "down".

`duckdb.pageSize`

Rows per page in results table (default: 1000, range: 100–10,000).

`duckdb.maxCopyRows`

Maximum rows for copy/export operations (default: 50000, range: 1,000–1,000,000).

Autocomplete

`duckdb.autocomplete.enabled`

Enable SQL autocomplete suggestions (default: true).

SQL Formatting

`duckdb.format.keywordCase`

Keyword casing style (default: "upper").

Value	Description
`upper`	Uppercase keywords (SELECT, FROM, WHERE)
`lower`	Lowercase keywords (select, from, where)
`preserve`	Preserve original keyword casing

`duckdb.format.indentStyle`

Indentation style (default: "standard").

Value	Description
`standard`	Standard indentation
`tabularLeft`	Tabular style, keywords left-aligned
`tabularRight`	Tabular style, keywords right-aligned

`duckdb.format.logicalOperatorNewline`

Where to place logical operators relative to newlines (default: "before").

Value	Description
`before`	Place AND/OR before the newline
`after`	Place AND/OR after the newline

Query History

`duckdb.history.persist`

Save query history to .vscode/duckdb-history.db (default: false).

`duckdb.history.maxEntries`

Maximum history entries to keep (default: 1000).

Commands

Command	Keybinding	Description
DuckDB: Execute Query	`Cmd+Enter`	Run all SQL in active editor
DuckDB: Run Statement	—	Run a single statement (via CodeLens)
DuckDB: Run at Cursor	`Ctrl+Shift+Enter`	Run the statement under the cursor
DuckDB: Select Database	—	Switch active database
DuckDB: Manage Extensions	—	Install/remove extensions
DuckDB: Query File	—	Query a data file (right-click)
DuckDB: Summarize File	—	Profile a data file
DuckDB: Copy Query	—	Copy SELECT statement for file
Go to Source File	—	Navigate from results to source SQL

Releasing

Releases are automated via GitHub Actions. Pushing a version tag triggers the CI/CD pipeline which builds, packages, and publishes the extension.

Steps

Bump the version in package.json:
```
"version": "0.0.15"
```

Commit the version bump:

git add package.json
git commit -m "version bump"

Tag and push:

git tag v0.0.15
git push origin main --tags

What happens

The v* tag triggers the CI/CD workflow:

Build — Lint, compile, and run tests on macOS, Ubuntu, and Windows
Package — Create platform-specific .vsix files for darwin-arm64, darwin-x64, linux-x64, and win32-x64
Publish — Upload to both VS Code Marketplace and Open VSX

Secrets

The publish steps require these repository secrets:

VSCE_PAT — VS Code Marketplace Personal Access Token
OVSX_PAT — Open VSX Registry Personal Access Token

Requirements

VS Code 1.85.0 or later
macOS, Linux, or Windows

License

MIT

Not affiliated with DuckDB Labs. DuckDB is a trademark of DuckDB Labs.

DuckDB

Charlie Jonas

🦆 DuckDB for VS Code

Overview

How It Works

Features

SQL Execution

File Integration

Results Table

Column Statistics

Database Explorer

Inline Peek Results

Extensions

Query History

Settings

Database Configuration

duckdb.databases

duckdb.defaultDatabase

duckdb.extensions.autoLoad

Inline Preview

duckdb.peekResults.livePreview

duckdb.peekResults.maxRows

duckdb.peekResults.debounceMs

Results Display

duckdb.resultsLocation

duckdb.pageSize

duckdb.maxCopyRows

Autocomplete

duckdb.autocomplete.enabled

SQL Formatting

duckdb.format.keywordCase

duckdb.format.indentStyle

duckdb.format.logicalOperatorNewline

Query History

duckdb.history.persist

duckdb.history.maxEntries

Commands

Releasing

Steps

What happens

Secrets

Requirements

License

`duckdb.databases`

`duckdb.defaultDatabase`

`duckdb.extensions.autoLoad`

`duckdb.peekResults.livePreview`

`duckdb.peekResults.maxRows`

`duckdb.peekResults.debounceMs`

`duckdb.resultsLocation`

`duckdb.pageSize`

`duckdb.maxCopyRows`

`duckdb.autocomplete.enabled`

`duckdb.format.keywordCase`

`duckdb.format.indentStyle`

`duckdb.format.logicalOperatorNewline`

`duckdb.history.persist`

`duckdb.history.maxEntries`