SQLife User Guide

This guide documents the current SQLife desktop workflows. Menu names and optional plugin features can vary by database type and release; when a control is not present in the application, it is not available in that installation.

Getting Started

New to SQLife? Start here:

Introduction - Learn about SQLife's features and capabilities
System Requirements - Check if your system is compatible
Installation Guide - Install and set up SQLife
Getting Started - Your first steps with SQLife

Core Features

Master the essential features:

Connection Management - Create, test, and manage database connections
Exploring Objects and Executing SQL - Write and execute SQL queries, explore database objects
Object Explorer - Navigate database schemas, tables, views, and other objects
Export Objects and Data - Export database objects (DDL) and data as SQL, Excel, CSV, TSV, or Bulk output
Import Data - Import data from Excel, CSV, and TSV files
Execute SQL Script File - Run large SQL script files efficiently

Advanced Features

Take your skills further:

Oracle Scheduler - Manage Oracle DBMS_SCHEDULER jobs, schedules, and programs
Database Document Viewer - Generate and view database documentation
Change Preferences - Customize SQLife settings and preferences
Backup and Recovery - Backup connections and recover from crashes
Plugins - Manage optional database drivers and feature extensions
Other Features - Import TNS, SQL History, result sharing, Quick Query, AI, and MCP

Additional Resources

Need Help?

FAQ - Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting
User Community - Join discussions and get help from other users
Support - Contact support for licensed users

Technical References

For developers and advanced users:

Technical Documentation - Implementation details
Security Documentation - Security features and guidelines
Development Guide - Building from source

Quick Reference

Common Tasks

Create a connection: New Connection tab → Enter details → Test → Save
Run a query: Write SQL → Press Ctrl/Cmd + Enter
Export results: Run query → Data View Export → Choose format
Edit table data: Right-click table → Edit Data → Make changes → Save
Quick Query: Press Alt + Space (Win/Linux) or Option + Space (macOS)
Format SQL: Use the configured Format action from Key Mapping

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Windows/Linux	macOS
New	Ctrl + N	Cmd + N
Open	Ctrl + O	Cmd + O
Save	Ctrl + S	Cmd + S
Run Query	Ctrl + Enter	Cmd + Enter
Commit	Ctrl + Shift + C	Cmd + Shift + C
Rollback	Ctrl + Shift + R	Cmd + Shift + R
Format SQL	Ctrl + Shift + F	Cmd + Shift + F
Find	Ctrl + F	Cmd + F
Quick Query	Alt + Space	Option + Space
Trigger Suggestion	Ctrl + Shift + P	Cmd + Shift + P
Outline tab	Ctrl + O	Cmd + O
Preferences	Ctrl + ,	Cmd + ,

See Getting Started and the Key Mapping table in Preferences for the complete, configurable list.

Supported Databases

Built-in (Core):

Oracle - Comprehensive support (11g+, recommended 19c+)
MySQL - Full support (5.7+, recommended 8.0+)
PostgreSQL - Complete support (10+, recommended 14+)
SQLite - Local database support (3.x)

Via Optional Plugins: Additional JDBC databases, key-value/document stores, and message-queue integrations. The installed Plugin Manager is authoritative for the available list.

See the Plugins Guide for installing optional plugins.

Supported Languages

SQLife is available in 13 languages:

English
繁體中文 (Traditional Chinese)
简体中文 (Simplified Chinese)
日本語 (Japanese)
한국어 (Korean)
Français (French)
Deutsch (German)
Español (Spanish)
Italiano (Italian)
Русский (Russian)
Türkçe (Turkish)
العربية (Arabic)
Português (Portuguese)

Change language in Preferences → General → Language.

Contributing to Documentation

Found an error or want to improve the documentation?

Fork the repository
Make your changes
Submit a pull request

All documentation is written in Markdown and located in the docs/ directory.

About This Guide

Version: Current desktop build
Last Updated: 2026-09-25
Maintained by: SQLife Team

Ready to start? Begin with the Introduction or jump straight to Installation!