Steampipe
Steampipe lets users query live data from APIs and services using SQL, without first loading it through an ETL pipeline.
What Steampipe is
Steampipe lets users query live data from APIs and services using SQL, without first loading it through an ETL pipeline. Its CLI presents connected resources as relational data and includes its own PostgreSQL database. Plugins provide the interface for each cloud service, file, or other resource, so users need the relevant plugin for the data they want to query. Steampipe can join live cloud configuration data with internal or external datasets, with compliance, security, operations, and cost listed as use cases. Other formats include PostgreSQL Foreign Data Wrappers, SQLite extensions that turn queries into API calls, and standalone export tools that extract information without a database. Turbot Pipes is a hosted option with database instances, shared dashboards, and snapshots. Steampipe is described as open source and free, with installers for macOS, Linux, and Windows. The plugin hub lists plugins for areas including public cloud, SaaS, security, and software development.
Good
- Free and open source CLI offering.
- Queries live data using SQL.
- Can join cloud configuration data with other datasets.
- Available as PostgreSQL FDWs, SQLite extensions, and export CLIs.
Watch out
- A plugin is required for each queried resource interface.
- The CLI requires users to work with SQL.
- Hosted database instances are provided through Turbot Pipes.
Who it suits
Steampipe suits technical users who want to query API or cloud configuration data with SQL. It may be useful for compliance, security, operations, and cost-related work.
Verdict
Steampipe offers several ways to query or export data from APIs and services, with plugins defining supported resources. Users who want its CLI approach should account for the plugin needed for each resource.
The facts
Each one read from Steampipe's own pages, with the date it was checked.
The company
- Company
- Turbot says it was founded in 2014 and is bootstrapped.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2021checked 28 Sep 2026
- Maker
- Turbot says it was founded in 2014 and is 100% bootstrapped.checked 2 Oct 2026
What it does
- Credentials
- The AWS tutorial says Steampipe uses default AWS credentials from the user's credential file or environment variables out of the box.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Data joins
- Steampipe can join live cloud configuration data with internal or external datasets.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Export
- Steampipe Export CLIs are standalone binaries for extracting information from cloud services and APIs without a database.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Hosted option
- Turbot Pipes provides hosted Steampipe database instances, shared dashboards, and snapshots.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Live data
- Steampipe queries live cloud configuration data and can join it with internal or external data sets.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Open source
- Steampipe is described as an open-source zero-ETL engine, and its GitHub repository identifies its license as Apache 2.0.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Other distributions
- Steampipe is also available as PostgreSQL FDWs, SQLite extensions, and standalone export CLIs.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Plugin library
- The Steampipe Hub lists 157 plugins across categories including public cloud, SaaS, security, and software development.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Plugins
- Plugins implement interfaces to cloud services, files, and other resources, and the Hub lists 158 plugins.checked 2 Oct 2026
- PostgreSQL
- Steampipe is available as PostgreSQL Foreign Data Wrappers that can be installed in supported PostgreSQL versions.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Query engine
- The Steampipe CLI exposes APIs and services as a relational database and includes its own PostgreSQL database.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Security maintenance
- The changelog lists dependency upgrades to remediate security vulnerabilities in Steampipe CLI releases.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Security reports
- Turbot says SOC 2 reports are available on request under NDA and that its annual SOC examinations take place each April.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Setup requirement
- Steampipe requires a plugin to implement the interface for each cloud service, file, or other resource being queried.checked 3 Oct 2026
- SQLite
- Steampipe SQLite Extensions provide virtual tables that translate queries into API calls.checked 2 Oct 2026
- SQL queries
- The Steampipe CLI exposes APIs and services as a relational database for SQL queries over dynamic data.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maker directs users to documentation, the Steampipe Hub, and its Slack community.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Use cases
- The maker highlights compliance, security, operations, and cost questions as Steampipe use cases.checked 3 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Steampipe provides zero-ETL tools for querying APIs and services directly with SQL.checked 3 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Supported platforms
- The downloads page provides installers for macOS, Linux, and Windows.checked 3 Oct 2026
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