Features Overview

BroadSQL is designed for professionals who manage data across multiple servers, vendors, and environments. Rather than hiding mechanics behind a GUI, it provides a unified, repeatable command-line workflow for databases and APIs. Below is a high-level look at what BroadSQL can do.

Universal Connectivity & Secure Environments

Manage your entire infrastructure from a single terminal without juggling different vendor clients.

• Bring Your Own Database: Connect to PostgreSQL, H2, SQLite, Apache Derby, and HSQLDB out of the box. Connect to any other relational database (Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, etc.) simply by dropping in its JDBC driver.
• Encrypted Credential Vault: Your database passwords and connection URLs are never stored in plain text. They are secured in a local, AES-encrypted database (the CDF) unlocked by a single master password.
• Logical Environments: Tag connections by product (e.g., Jira, ERP) and stage (DEV, QA, PROD). BroadSQL natively understands environments, allowing you to run a query in TEST and seamlessly execute the exact same query in PROD without rewriting it.

Frictionless Data Movement

Extracting, transforming, and loading data shouldn't require complex wizard dialogues or external ETL tools for everyday tasks.

• Unified Export Syntax: Move query results into a local H2 database, a spreadsheet tab, or a flat file (CSV, JSON, Markdown, HTML) using exactly the same command structure.
• Safe Data Ingestion: Load CSV files directly into your tables. BroadSQL automatically validates the file against the target schema and provides a safety preview before executing a single-transaction insert.
• Automated Dumps: Toggle session-wide exports to automatically route all subsequent query outputs to Excel, OpenDocument, or flat text files.

Automation & Repeatable Workflows

BroadSQL treats your daily workflows as code, allowing you to catalog, script, and share your most common tasks.

• Built-in Scripts Library: Save your most frequently used queries and scripts into a personal, searchable folder. Tag them with metadata (descriptions, target environments) so you never lose a complex query again.
• Hybrid Scripting: Write scripts that freely mix standard SQL with native BroadSQL commands. Run them against any connected database type—a capability vendor-specific GUI clients cannot match.
• JavaScript Orchestration: For complex logic, write lightweight JavaScript snippets that can open multiple database connections simultaneously, driven by standard loops and conditionals.

Integrated API Client

Modern data workflows rarely stop at the database. BroadSQL brings your REST APIs into the same workflow.

• Universal API Execution: Call the APIs sitting in front of your data directly from the BroadSQL command line. Route API JSON responses straight to local files or tables.
• Bruno Integration: Import your existing Bruno API collections. BroadSQL will automatically parse the endpoints and handle the authentication schemes defined in the collection.

Zero-Friction Extensibility

When a built-in command isn't enough, BroadSQL gets out of your way and lets you build it yourself.

• Drop-in Custom Commands: Write your own custom BroadSQL commands in Java. Just drop your compiled JAR file into the extensions/ folder.
• No Complex SDKs: There is no heavy IDE plugin framework to learn and no need to recompile the core application. Your extension gets immediate, direct access to the console, the active connection, and the command interpreter.

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Looking for the exact syntax, arguments, or advanced configuration options? Check out the detailed Command Reference in our documentation.