Commands - VheissuLabs/tql GitHub Wiki

Running tql with nothing after it opens the connection list, which is how you will use it nearly all the time. The rest are for the things a full-screen interface is the wrong shape for.

tql list        # shows all of these

Top-level commands

Command	What it does
`tql`	the interface: pick a connection and browse
`tql open <path-or-dsn>`	open a database by path or connection string, saving it; `tql connect` is the same
`tql export [connection] [table]`	write rows out as re-importable SQL
`tql tableplus`	bring your TablePlus connections over, groups and passwords too
`tql dump <connection> [tables…]`	dump a database, schema and data, with mydumper or pg_dump
`tql load <dump-or-sql> <connection>`	load a dump, or replay an export; `tql import` is the same
`tql sync <from> <to>`	make one database a copy of another, a dump and a load in one step
`tql settings`	change your settings on a screen, saved as you go
`tql new`	open tql on a new connection form
`tql sql [connection]`	open tql in the SQL editor; without a connection, tql asks
`tql history [connection]`	open tql on the query history
`tql config`	where the config file is; `--tidy` puts it back in order
`tql connections`	list the saved connections
`tql tables <connection>`	list a connection's tables
`tql describe <connection> <table>`	a table's columns, types and primary key
`tql query <connection> "select …"`	run a read-only query; `-` reads it from stdin
`tql mcp:start tql`	run the MCP server on stdio, for an agent
`tql update`	update to the latest release now; see `[updates]`
`tql -v`	the version you have; `-V` and `--version` say the same

Flags for open and tableplus, and the full flag list for dump/load/sync, are on Connecting and Dump, load and sync. tql export is on Exporting.

A debug build from a source checkout also shows make:command, which writes the skeleton of a new command. tql runs its store's migrations for itself, so there is no command for them.

In the interface

:open, :update, :export (this table) and :export database (every table) do the same from the command line or the ctrl+k palette, and :v says which version you have.

Command	Action
`:q` `:quit`	quit
`:c` `:connections`	back to the connection list
`:w` `:write`	write pending edits and deletions
`:r` `:reload`	reload the table; from the SQL editor, `:r` runs the statement
`:run`	run the SQL editor's statement
`:sql`	open the SQL editor
`:history`	the query history
`:tables`	focus the table list
`:rows`	focus the rows
`:export`	write this table to a `.sql` file
`:export database`	write every table in this database to one `.sql` file
`:create database <name>`	create a database on this server and switch to it
`:drop database <name>`	drop a database on this server; drop the one in use and the database list opens
`:settings`	change your settings
`:v` `:version`	show which version of tql this is
`:update`	check for a newer tql and install it, while you keep working
`:open <path or connection string>`	open a SQLite or DuckDB file or a `mysql://`, `pgsql://`, `sqlsrv://`, `libsql://`, `clickhouse://`, `redis://` or `valkey://` URL, saved to the connection list as `tql open` does
`:h` `:help`	the keys and commands

A command that belongs to the other screen says so: :sql on the connection list says it works once a connection is open. Every command here that needs the screen also runs from the shell and opens tql on it: tql settings, tql sql shop, tql history shop, tql new.

The command palette

ctrl+k opens one list of everything you can do from here: every action, with the key that does it, the : commands that have no key, the tables, the other databases on a server, and your other connections. Type to narrow it (exact and prefix matches first, then words, then letters in order) and ↵ runs the one you are on, exactly as its key would.

The key shown beside an action is the one it is bound to, so a key you rebind is the one it offers. palette = "ctrl+p" in [keys] moves the palette itself.

Environment variables

Variable	Effect
`TQL_BIN_DIR`	where the install script puts the binary
`TQL_VERSION`	pin the version the install script fetches
`TQL_UPDATE_CHECK=false`	stop the daily update check for one run
`TQL_AI_PROVIDER`, `TQL_AI_MODEL`, `TQL_AI_TIMEOUT`, `TQL_AI_URL`, `TQL_AI_KEY`	overrides for `[ai]`
`XDG_CONFIG_HOME`	move `~/.config/tql/`, which is how the tests stay out of your real connections