SQL Editor
Write and run SQL with tree-sitter-powered syntax highlighting, schema-aware autocomplete, and multi-statement execution in a single editor pane.
Writing Queries
Single Query
Write and execute a single query:
SELECT * FROM users WHERE active = true;
Cmd+Enter to execute.
Multiple Queries
Separate multiple queries with semicolons:
SELECT * FROM users LIMIT 10;
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM orders;
SELECT name, email FROM customers WHERE country = 'US';
Cmd+Enter to execute just that one.
Selecting and Executing
Select text and press Cmd+Enter to run only the selection. Multiple statements in the selection run sequentially in a transaction:
- If any statement fails, execution stops and all changes roll back
- The error identifies which statement failed (e.g., “Statement 3/5 failed: …”)
- The last
SELECT result appears in the data grid
- Each statement is recorded individually in query history
Good for running migrations or batches of related statements:
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS users;
CREATE TABLE users (id INT PRIMARY KEY, name VARCHAR(100));
INSERT INTO users VALUES (1, 'Alice'), (2, 'Bob');
SELECT * FROM users;
Autocomplete
Autocomplete appears as you type. Use arrow keys to navigate, Enter/Tab to accept, Escape to dismiss.
Context-Aware Suggestions
| Context | Suggestions |
|---|
After SELECT | Column names, *, functions |
After FROM / JOIN | Table names, schema names |
After WHERE | Column names from selected tables |
After . (dot) | Columns from the specified table/alias |
| Start of statement | SQL keywords |
u. after FROM users u shows columns from users.
Keyword Suggestions
Keywords are context-sensitive:
- After
SELECT: DISTINCT, TOP, ALL
- After
FROM: JOIN, LEFT JOIN, INNER JOIN, WHERE
- After
WHERE: AND, OR, NOT, IN, LIKE, BETWEEN
Query Execution
Running Queries
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|
| Execute query | Cmd+Enter | Runs query at cursor, or all selected statements |
| Explain query | Option+Cmd+E | Show the execution plan for the query at cursor |
| Format query | Option+Cmd+F | Format the current query for readability |
Query Results
Results appear in the data grid below the editor with row count and execution time. Large result sets are paginated.
Explain Query
Press Option+Cmd+E to view the execution plan. Shows index usage, join strategies, and estimated row counts. TablePro uses the correct syntax per database (EXPLAIN for MySQL/PostgreSQL, EXPLAIN QUERY PLAN for SQLite).
Run Explain before expensive queries to verify index usage.
Option+Cmd+F to format the current query. You can also click Format in the toolbar or use Query > Format Query.
The formatter:
- Uppercases SQL keywords (
select becomes SELECT)
- Adds line breaks per clause (
SELECT, FROM, WHERE, JOIN)
- Indents logically with consistent spacing
- Preserves comments, string literals, and cursor position
- Detects your database dialect and preserves backtick (MySQL) or double-quote (PostgreSQL) identifiers
Example
Before:
select u.id,u.name,count(o.id) as order_count from users u left join orders o on u.id=o.user_id where u.status='active' group by u.id,u.name having count(o.id)>5 order by order_count desc;
SELECT
u.id,
u.name,
COUNT(o.id) AS order_count
FROM users u
LEFT JOIN orders o ON u.id = o.user_id
WHERE u.status = 'active'
GROUP BY u.id, u.name
HAVING COUNT(o.id) > 5
ORDER BY order_count DESC;
Error Handling
Errors appear below the editor with the error message and relevant line number.
Vim Mode
Enable Vim keybindings in Settings > Editor > Vim mode. Supports Normal, Insert, Visual, and Command-line modes.
Key mappings:
| Action | Keys |
|---|
| Execute query | :w |
| Close tab | :q |
| Enter Insert mode | i, a, o, O |
| Return to Normal mode | Escape |
| Delete word | dw |
| Delete line | dd |
| Yank (copy) line | yy |
| Paste | p |
| Visual select | v + motion |
| Go to line 10 | :10 |
| Search forward | /pattern |
| Search backward | ?pattern |
| Next match | n |
| Previous match | N |
| Undo | u |
| Redo | Ctrl+R |
h/j/k/l, w/b/e, 0/$, gg/G), operators (d, c, y), and count prefixes (3dd, 5j) all work as expected. Text objects like ciw (change inner word) and di" (delete inside quotes) are supported.
Use :w as a quick way to execute queries without switching to the mouse.
Editor Settings
Customize font, line numbers, word wrap, Vim mode, and indentation in Settings > Editor.
AI Assistance
Use Explain with AI (Cmd+L) to understand queries, Optimize with AI (Cmd+Option+L) for performance suggestions, or click “Ask AI to Fix” in error dialogs. See AI Chat for configuration.
SQL Files
Opening Files
Open .sql files in three ways:
- Double-click a
.sql file in Finder (or Open With > TablePro)
- File > Open File… (
Cmd+O) to pick files via a dialog
- Drag
.sql files onto the TablePro dock icon
Files open in a new tab. If not connected to a database, they’re queued and open automatically on connect. Opening the same file twice focuses the existing tab instead of creating a duplicate.
Saving Files
Cmd+S saves the current query back to the source fileCmd+Shift+S opens a Save As dialog to save as a new .sql file- For untitled query tabs (no file),
Cmd+S triggers Save As automatically
The title bar shows the filename for file-backed tabs. A dot appears on the close button when there are unsaved changes (standard macOS behavior). Cmd+click the filename in the title bar to reveal the file in Finder.
When a tab has both unsaved file changes and pending data grid edits, Cmd+S saves the data grid changes first. Save the file after the grid save completes.
