Sqruff

Overview

Sqruff is a free SQL linter and formatter for people who want dialect-aware checks and formatting in a development workflow. It suits SQL teams that value configurable rules, automatic fixes and editor or CI integration; dbt teams should be cautious because that support is experimental.

Written in Rust, Sqruff combines linting with configurable formatting and lists column-level data lineage analysis among its capabilities. The open-source project is licensed under Apache-2.0. Its breadth across SQL dialects is a strong fit for mixed-data environments, while its dbt support is not yet a safe basis for a workflow decision.

Key features

Linting, formatting and fixes

Sqruff supports customizable lint rules, automated formatting and automatic fixes. In practice, teams can align checks and formatting with project conventions rather than accept a fixed style. A project-level .sqruff file holds dialect and rule settings, giving a project a shared configuration point.

Dialect coverage

Supported dialects include ANSI, Athena, BigQuery, ClickHouse, Databricks, DB2, DuckDB, Exasol, Greenplum, Hive, MariaDB, Materialize, MySQL, Oracle, Postgres, Redshift, Snowflake, SparkSQL, SQLite, StarRocks, Teradata, Trino, T-SQL and Vertica. That range makes Sqruff a plausible choice when SQL projects span more than one database; teams should still confirm that their specific dialect and conventions fit their needs.

Editor and CI workflows

Sqruff maintains VS Code and Zed integrations and offers an LSP server for other LSP-capable editors. Its installation guide also documents a GitHub Action for running it in CI. These options let teams bring checks into editing and automated workflows, though the documented CI integration is specifically a GitHub Action.

Installation and browser access

Installation options include Homebrew, a bash installer, pip, cargo, binary releases and an official Docker image. A browser playground offers a way to try Sqruff without first adopting it in a project. The multiple installation routes suit varied setups, while the playground provides a lighter evaluation path.

Pricing

Sqruff is free: its Sqruff plan costs nothing and is described as an open-source SQL linter and formatter. The plan includes custom rules, automatic fixes, editor extensions, CI/CD integration and configuration-file support. There is no free trial because the product has a free plan; no paid tier or seat-based pricing is part of this offering. For individual users and teams alike, cost is not the trade-off—the key consideration is whether its dialect and workflow support match the project.

Platforms

Sqruff is available across extension, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web and Windows platforms. Its editor integrations, installation choices and browser playground give it several routes into a development workflow, from local setup to trying it in a browser.

Who it's for

Sqruff is best suited to developers and data teams that want configurable SQL linting and formatting, automatic fixes, broad dialect coverage and integration with editors or GitHub CI. Its free, Apache-2.0-licensed model also makes it a sensible candidate for teams that want an open-source tool. It is a weaker fit for teams whose dbt workflow depends on mature, dependable project support, since dbt support is marked experimental.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Broad dialect support, including major warehouse and database dialects, makes it useful for varied SQL environments.
• Pros: Custom rules, automatic fixes and project configuration let teams adapt checks and formatting to their conventions.
• Pros: VS Code, Zed, LSP and GitHub Action support connect it to common editing and CI workflows.
• Pros: The free Apache-2.0 offering has no paid-plan barrier to adopting its listed features.
• Cons: dbt support is experimental, so teams relying on dbt should not treat Sqruff as a proven fit for that workflow.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see SQL Linters and Formatters.

• Poor SQL is a free alternative with online and offline formatting and an SSMS/Visual Studio plugin; its formatter library is open-source under AGPL.
• Sleek is another free SQL formatter, available for extensions and Linux, macOS and Windows.
• sqlfmt is worth considering if a browser-based formatter with no installation is the priority; its Browser formatter runs via WebAssembly.
• Squawk is a free alternative available across mobile, desktop, web, API and extension platforms.
• TSQLLint is a free option for T-SQL linting, distributed under MIT and installable with dotnet-tool, Homebrew or NPM.
• pgFormatter is a free alternative distributed under the PostgreSQL Licence and available for API, Linux, self-hosted and web use.
• Valk Guard is a free alternative for Windows, macOS and Linux.
• SQLCheck is a free alternative for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Verdict

Sqruff is a strong choice for SQL teams that want a free, configurable linter and formatter with broad dialect support and routes into editors and GitHub CI. Its chief reason to choose it is that it brings checks, formatting and automatic fixes together in an open-source tool. Look elsewhere if your workflow depends on established dbt support, since Sqruff labels that capability experimental.