SQLLab — Your SQL Workspace, Inside VS Code

You open your editor to write code. Then you switch to a separate database tool to write a query. Then switch back. Then the query changes, and you can't remember which version was the one that worked. You copy ten thousand rows into a spreadsheet and your laptop fan spins up. You run the same slow query twice because you forgot you already had the answer.

SQLLab puts a complete SQL workspace directly inside VS Code, so that context switch never has to happen again.

Who Is This For?

• Data engineers who write complex transformation queries, debug slow jobs, and need to compare data between environments
• Backend developers who work with databases every day and want their database tool to feel like the rest of their IDE
• Analysts and DBAs who manage sessions, run reports, and need their query library organised and searchable

Supported Databases

• Microsoft SQL Server
• PostgreSQL
• MySQL
• Oracle — no extra client software installation required
• SQLite — built-in, no driver installation needed
• DuckDB — great for local file-based analytics

The Problems SQLLab Solves

"I wrote this query last month and now I can't find it"

SQLLab has a Saved Query Library where every query you choose to keep gets a name, a description, tags, and a type (Report, Debug Script, Stored Procedure, etc.). Search across all of them — name, description, and the SQL itself — in milliseconds. Filter by tag, type, or database. Your entire query library lives in one place and is always one keystroke away.

The search uses full-text indexing (FTS5), so it is fast even with thousands of saved queries. To find an exact phrase — including a specific SQL fragment — wrap it in double quotes:

"SELECT * FROM orders WHERE status = 'PENDING'"

SQLLab will return only the queries that contain that exact text verbatim.

"I changed the query and now it doesn't work — what did I change?"

Every time you save a query, SQLLab silently captures the previous version. Open the Version History for any saved query to see a full timeline of every edit. Choose any two versions and open a side-by-side diff to see exactly what changed. You can also diff the current editor content against your clipboard at any time with Alt+D.

"The result set has 200,000 rows and my tool is frozen"

SQLLab paginates results on the server side, so the editor never loads more than it needs to display. The result grid stays responsive no matter how large the dataset is. Need the full data? Export to Excel (.xlsx) or copy everything to clipboard — for very large results, SQLLab writes the file in the background and lets you open it directly in VS Code without ever locking the UI.

"I need to compare the data in production vs staging"

The Data Compare tool lets you run two queries — against different databases or connections — and merges the results side by side. Each row is marked SAME or DIFFERENT per column, and rows that exist on only one side are flagged automatically. You can filter and scroll the merged result just like a normal query result.

"Someone is blocking my session and I don't know who"

The Session Monitor shows all active database sessions in real time with auto-refresh. Blocked sessions are highlighted in red, active ones in green. Right-click any session to kill it, or use the Kill All option when you need to clear everything at once.

"I have to type the same table and column names over and over"

As you type, SQLLab reads your database schema and suggests table names after FROM / JOIN, and column names after a dot or anywhere in the query — boosting columns that belong to tables already referenced in your script. Primary keys and indexed columns are labelled so you know exactly what you're working with. Suggestions are schema-driven and load from the live database, with results cached for one hour to keep the editor snappy.

"I need to run the same query for different date ranges / environments / IDs"

Hard-coding values into a complex query and then hunting down every occurrence to change them is error-prone and slow. SQLLab supports dynamic SQL with parameters: declare a parameter once at the top of your script, then reference it anywhere in the query body.

{% set start_date = "2024-01-01" %}
{% set end_date   = "2024-03-31" %}
{% set region     = "APAC"       %}

SELECT *
FROM sales
WHERE sale_date BETWEEN '{{ start_date }}' AND '{{ end_date }}'
  AND region = '{{ region }}'

When you run the script, SQLLab substitutes all the placeholders automatically before sending the query to the database. Change the value in one place at the top — the entire query updates. You can also chain parameters so one variable's value is derived from another.

A dedicated toolbar button lets you preview the fully resolved SQL before running — so you always see exactly what will be executed. When using Batch Run, you can override parameter values per script without touching the saved query itself.

"I need to load a CSV file into a table"

Drag a CSV or Excel file onto the Upload panel. SQLLab shows you a preview of the first 100 rows, detects column types, and writes the data into any table — appending, replacing, or failing if the table already exists. Column names are sanitised automatically for each database. For Excel files you can pick the sheet and the header row before writing.

"Running all our nightly scripts one by one takes forever"

Select multiple saved queries in the Batch Run panel and run them all at once, in parallel. A side panel tracks each script's progress and final status. You can override the connection or stop the whole batch if one script fails.

Every batch run is saved to history — status, execution time, and per-script results persist across server restarts. Reopen VS Code the next day and your last batch results are right where you left them, ready to review or retry.

Result Grid

Every query result opens in a powerful grid with:

• Execution time — every run (SELECT, DDL, DML, or stored procedure) displays elapsed time in milliseconds next to the result, so you know immediately whether a query is fast or needs tuning
• Per-column filters — text, number, range, and multi-select set filters, all combinable
• Global search — type across all columns at once
• Sort any column instantly
• Auto-size all columns with Ctrl+\
• Export to Excel — applies your active filters before writing, so you export exactly what you see
• Copy to clipboard — small results copy instantly; large results are written to a file in the background with a link to open them

Saved Queries Dashboard

A full overview of your query library in one screen:

• Every saved query with its database, type, tags, and last-run time
• Open or delete queries directly from the list
• Filter by database or connection

SQL Editor

• Write SQL with syntax highlighting and smart suggestions
• Multi-cursor editing — place cursors on multiple lines at once and edit them all simultaneously, perfect for renaming aliases or adjusting column lists across many rows in one keystroke
• Work across multiple tabs at once — each tab is independent
• Closing a tab with unsaved changes asks you to save first — no accidental losses
• Press Alt+Q from anywhere in VS Code to jump straight to SQLLab

Getting Started

1. Install SQLLab from the VS Code Marketplace

2. Open SQLLab

Press Alt+Q or search for SQLLab: Open UI in the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P).

3. Add a Connection

Click Connections → Add Connection and fill in your host, port, database, and credentials.

4. Write and Run

Pick your connection, write SQL, and press Run. Results appear immediately below.

5. Save Your Work

Click Save, give the query a name and optional tags. It is now searchable, versioned, and ready to run again any time.

Commands

Keyboard Shortcuts

VS Code

SQL Editor

These shortcuts are active when the SQL editor has focus.

Result Grid

These shortcuts are active when the result grid has focus.

Settings

Pricing

Your license is verified locally — no internet connection needed after activation.

Always Getting Better

SQLLab is actively developed. More database support, smarter tooling, and new workflows are continuously in the works. What you use today is only the beginning.

If there is a database you need connected, a workflow that feels clunky, or a feature that would save you an hour every day — tell us. Post in the Q&A tab on this Marketplace page and our team will read every single message. Your feedback directly shapes what gets built next.

We built SQLLab because we believe working with SQL should feel as natural and powerful as writing any other code. We will keep building until it does.

Write better SQL. Ship faster. We have got your back.