CSV-SQL Converter

About CSV-SQL Converter

CSV-SQL Converter is a free online tool that converts between CSV files and SQL statements. Generate SQL INSERT and CREATE TABLE statements from CSV data, or export SQL query results back to CSV format—all processed locally in your browser for complete privacy.

Why convert CSV to SQL?

Converting CSV to SQL is essential for importing data into databases:

- Quickly populate database tables from spreadsheet exports
- Migrate data between different systems
- Create test data for development
- Import bulk data without manual entry
- Generate SQL scripts for version control

This tool generates properly formatted INSERT statements with automatic data type detection, making database imports fast and error-free.

What SQL output formats are available?

The tool offers three SQL output options:

1. INSERT Statements Only: Just the INSERT commands for existing tables
2. CREATE TABLE Only: Table schema definition with column types
3. CREATE + INSERT: Complete SQL script with table creation and data insertion

You can also include a DROP TABLE statement to replace existing tables safely.

How are data types detected?

The converter automatically infers SQL data types by analyzing your CSV data:

- Numeric values → REAL (for decimals) or INTEGER
- Short text (< 255 chars) → VARCHAR(255)
- Long text → TEXT
- Mixed types → TEXT (safest option)

This automatic detection works with MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and most SQL databases. You can manually adjust data types in the generated SQL if needed.

Can I convert SQL back to CSV?

Yes! The SQL to CSV mode lets you:

- Execute SQL CREATE and INSERT statements
- Run SELECT queries to filter data
- Export query results to CSV format
- Choose delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab)
- Include/exclude column headers

This is useful for exporting database dumps, sharing query results, or converting SQL backups to spreadsheet format.

Does my data leave my device?

No. All CSV-SQL conversion happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript and SQL.js (a browser-based SQL engine). Your data never leaves your machine, ensuring complete privacy for sensitive information like customer data, financial records, or confidential business data.

What if my column names have special characters?

The tool automatically sanitizes column names to ensure SQL compatibility:

- Removes special characters (replaced with underscore)
- Handles spaces (converted to underscores)
- Prevents reserved SQL keywords conflicts
- Ensures valid SQL identifiers

Example: "Employee Name (2024)" becomes "Employee_Name_2024"

This ensures your generated SQL works across all database systems without errors.

Will the generated SQL work in MySQL, Postgres and SQLite without changes?

Mostly yes for INSERTs. Schema types differ: MySQL uses VARCHAR(255), Postgres prefers TEXT, SQLite is type-less (uses INTEGER, REAL, TEXT, BLOB). The generator outputs ANSI-compatible types that all three accept. Postgres-specific features (SERIAL, JSONB, arrays) require manual editing post-generation.

How does the type-detection logic decide INTEGER vs REAL vs TEXT?

It scans up to 1000 rows of each column. If all values parse as integers (no decimal point) -> INTEGER. If all parse as numbers with decimals -> REAL. If any value is non-numeric -> VARCHAR(255) for short strings (<255 chars) or TEXT for longer. Empty cells are ignored. Mixed types fall back to TEXT for safety.

Why are my column names with spaces breaking the SQL?

The converter automatically sanitizes: spaces -> underscores, special characters -> removed, leading digits -> prefixed with col_, SQL reserved words (SELECT, FROM, ORDER) -> appended with _col. "Employee Name (2024)" becomes "Employee_Name_2024". Original headers are preserved in CSV export so round-trip lossless.

Can I run SELECT queries on the loaded data?

Yes. The SQL to CSV mode embeds SQL.js (a 1MB WebAssembly build of SQLite). You can paste CREATE+INSERT+SELECT scripts and the SELECT results export to CSV. Useful for filtering, joining, aggregating before exporting subsets. No data leaves the browser; the entire SQLite engine runs client-side.