SQLFluff Formatter

Format your SQL files in VS Code using sqlfluff.

This extension runs sqlfluff fix from VS Code and applies the formatted result back to your editor.

Features

• Format selected SQL or the entire file
• Uses your local sqlfluff installation and config
• Works with any dialect supported by sqlfluff
• Adds --dialect ansi automatically only when no dialect is provided in args or .sqlfluff
• Resolves runtime in this order: sqlfluff.path → sqlfluff from PATH → python -m sqlfluff

How It Works

• If you select text, only the selection is formatted.
• If you do not select text, the entire document is formatted.
• Line endings (LF/CRLF) are preserved.
• Temporary files created during formatting are removed automatically.

Getting Started

1. Install this extension from the VS Code Marketplace.
2. Open a SQL file and run the Format SQL with SQLFluff command (Shift+Alt+S).
   • If sqlfluff.path is set and not executable, the extension returns an error and does not try auto-install.

• If sqlfluff.path is not set and sqlfluff is not found in PATH, the extension can attempt to install sqlfluff automatically when Python is available.
• During auto-install, the extension detects Python scripts directories and patches PATH only for extension processes (it does not modify your system shell profile).
• If CLI exposure still fails after install, the extension falls back to python -m sqlfluff.
• If Python is not available, install Python and/or sqlfluff manually:

  pip install --upgrade sqlfluff
  # or a specific version
  pip install "sqlfluff>=3.0.0"
  

Usage

• Command Palette: Format SQL with SQLFluff
• Keyboard shortcut:
  • Windows/Linux: Shift+Alt+S
  • macOS: Shift+Ctrl+S

If formatting fails, open the SQLFluff output channel to see execution logs and error details.

Configuration

• The extension uses your workspace or user .sqlfluff config if present.
• You can set the path to sqlfluff and extra arguments in VS Code settings (sqlfluff.path, sqlfluff.args).
• Auto-install uses python -m pip install sqlfluff (without --user).
• If a workspace virtual environment is found (.venv, venv, env), that Python interpreter is preferred for auto-install.

Example Settings

{
  "sqlfluff.path": "",
  "sqlfluff.args": ["--dialect", "postgres"]
}

For more details, see the sqlfluff documentation.