sqlrooms CLI

Launch a local SQLRooms DuckDB project for adding data, authoring documents, and building Mosaic charts and dashboards.

Quick start

uvx sqlrooms ./sqlrooms.db

What happens:

• Starts the DuckDB websocket backend (from sqlrooms-server) on a free local port.
• Serves the SQLRooms document UI on http://localhost:3000, or the next free port, and opens your browser (disable with --no-open-browser).
• Drag-and-drop CSV, TSV, JSON, Parquet, and DuckDB files to load them into DuckDB; files are uploaded to a local sqlrooms_uploads folder and referenced by path.
• UI state is stored in the SQLRooms meta namespace (default __sqlrooms) of the selected DuckDB file.

Map basemaps

Maps use OpenFreeMap vector tiles with Positron for light mode and Dark for dark mode. No API key or registration is required.

New maps keep the light/dark style matching the app theme at creation, including after theme changes and workspace reloads. Change the saved style through Map settings → Basemap. Existing custom map styles are preserved.

CLI flags

• DB_PATH (positional): DuckDB project file to load/create (e.g. sqlrooms ./my.db). Required unless --db-path is provided.
• --version: Print the installed sqlrooms CLI version and exit.
• --db-path: DuckDB database to use as a flag alternative. Pass a filepath to persist, or :memory: for an explicit temporary in-memory session.
• --host / --port: HTTP host/port for the UI. The default bind address is 127.0.0.1. If --port is omitted, 3000 or the next free port is chosen automatically.
• --ws-port: WebSocket port for DuckDB queries. If omitted, a free port is chosen automatically.
• --profile: Select a complete production capability profile: default, experimental, or document-charts-maps.
• --experimental: Compatibility alias for --profile experimental.
• --experimental-sync: Enable experimental sync (CRDT) over WebSocket (Loro). Requires the experimental profile.
• --ai-devtools: Enable the AI session devtools button in the UI, including production-built UI bundles. Can also be set with SQLROOMS_AI_DEVTOOLS=1.
• --debug: Enable verbose debug logging, including HTTP access logs and DuckDB query timing.
• --meta-db: Optional path to a dedicated DuckDB file for SQLRooms meta tables (UI state + CRDT snapshots). If omitted, meta tables are stored in the main DB.
• --meta-namespace (default __sqlrooms): Namespace for SQLRooms meta tables. If --meta-db is provided, used as ATTACH alias; otherwise used as a schema in the main DB.
• --no-open-browser: Skip automatically opening the browser tab.
• --ui: Optional path to a custom UI bundle directory (a Vite dist/). If omitted, uses the bundled default UI.
• --no-ui: Start only the HTTP API server and DuckDB websocket backend; do not serve the bundled/static UI.
• --mcp: Start a loopback-only MCP HTTP server backed by the live browser room.
• --mcp-port: Select the loopback MCP port (defaults to 42100 or the next free port).
• --config: Path to a SQLRooms TOML config file. Defaults to ~/.config/sqlrooms/config.toml (%APPDATA%\sqlrooms\config.toml on Windows).
• --no-config: Disable config file loading.

Read-only artifact, document-block, and dashboard-panel image tools are always available in the CLI UI. Using their image results requires a vision-capable model and a provider that supports image tool results.

--host 0.0.0.0 is an advanced local-network mode. Only use it on trusted networks; it exposes the SQLRooms UI/API bind address beyond your loopback interface. The DuckDB websocket backend still enforces local-only connections unless you explicitly use external proxy settings.

The MCP listener uses the official stateless Streamable HTTP transport. The browser must remain open and initialized because the live room owns the tool catalog and execution state. Every MCP SQL query requires an allow-once dialog in that browser. This approval and the one-statement SELECT check are not a SQL sandbox; only approve SQL from a client and request you trust.

There is intentionally no sqlrooms add, sqlrooms import, or sqlrooms doctor command in the first public CLI. Drag-and-drop import is the supported first-launch path, and the release smoke checklist below covers the doctor-style checks for now.

Data persistence

Tables created in the selected DuckDB file (or attached meta DB if --meta-db is provided):

• __sqlrooms.ui_state (one row: key='default')
• __sqlrooms.sync_rooms (only used when --experimental --experimental-sync is enabled)

Uploads go to /api/upload. Runtime config for the UI is exposed at /api/config / /config.json.

Manual smoke test

Use this to prove the first-launch path:

uvx sqlrooms \
  --no-open-browser \
  ./smoke.duckdb

Then open the printed UI URL and verify:

• The app starts without a database connection error.
• Dragging a small CSV file into the data panel creates a table.
• The uploaded CSV lands next to smoke.duckdb under sqlrooms_uploads/.
• The data sidebar shows main.cars and does not show SQLRooms internal metadata.
• A document is created or selected automatically and contains a cars data-table explorer block.
• Users can create document and dashboard artifacts from the New menu without enabling --experimental.
• Map, notebook, canvas, app, HTML app, pivot, and SQL query surfaces stay hidden unless --experimental is provided.
• Restarting the same command with ./smoke.duckdb restores the imported table and persisted workspace state.

Config file

sqlrooms reads the app capability profile, AI provider settings, and connector settings from a TOML config file. AI settings changed in the CLI UI are saved back to this file automatically when config loading is enabled and the config file is writable:

• macOS / Linux: ~/.config/sqlrooms/config.toml
• Windows: %APPDATA%\sqlrooms\config.toml

Override with --config <path>, or disable with --no-config.

Example config file:

[app]
profile = "default"

[ai]
default_provider = "openai"
default_model = "gpt-5"

[[ai.providers]]
id = "openai"
base_url = "https://api.openai.com/v1"
api_key_env = "OPENAI_API_KEY"
models = ["gpt-5", "gpt-4.1"]

[[ai.providers]]
id = "anthropic"
base_url = "https://api.anthropic.com"
api_key_env = "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"
models = ["claude-4-sonnet"]

[[ai.custom_models]]
model_name = "local-qwen"
base_url = "http://localhost:11434/v1"
api_key = "local-key"

[ai.model_parameters]
max_steps = 12
additional_instruction = "Prefer short answers."

[[db.connectors]]
id = "postgres-local"
engine = "postgres"
title = "Postgres Local"
host = "localhost"
port = "5432"
database = "postgres"
user = "postgres"
password = "postgres"

[[db.connectors]]
id = "snowflake-prod"
engine = "snowflake"
title = "Snowflake Prod"
account = "your-account"
user = "your-user"
password = "your-password"
warehouse = "your-warehouse"
database = "your-database"
schema = "your-schema"
role = "your-role"
authenticator = "externalbrowser"

[[db.connectors]]
id = "snowflake-dev"
engine = "snowflake"
title = "Snowflake Dev"
account = "your-dev-account"
user = "your-dev-user"
warehouse = "your-dev-warehouse"

Server-only mode (no UI)

If you only want the DuckDB websocket server (no HTTP UI server), install/run sqlrooms-server:

uvx sqlrooms-server --db-path ./sqlrooms.db --port 4000

sqlrooms-server is also available as an alias console script.

Backend connectors (DbSlice bridge)

Use these modes to run remote queries through backend connectors and materialize results into core DuckDB for downstream notebook cells.

Install optional connector dependencies first:

uv tool install "sqlrooms[connectors]"
# or install just one connector:
uv tool install "sqlrooms[postgres]"
uv tool install "sqlrooms[snowflake]"

Postgres

uvx sqlrooms \
  ./sqlrooms.db \
  --ws-port 4000 \
  --port 3000

Snowflake

uvx sqlrooms \
  ./sqlrooms.db \
  --ws-port 4000 \
  --port 3000

What this enables:

• sqlrooms exposes connector bridge endpoints under /api/db/*.
• Runtime connector metadata is exposed via /api/config, so frontend DbSlice auto-registers available backend connections.
• Notebook SQL cells can select Postgres/Snowflake connectors from the connector dropdown.
• Arrow payloads are materialized into DuckDB and can be queried downstream in the same session.

Notes:

• Configure connectors in sqlrooms.toml using [[db.connectors]] entries.
• Connector libraries are optional extras (postgres, snowflake, or connectors).