Official ClickHouse CLI for running SQL against servers, loading data, and querying files locally.
$curl https://clickhouse.com/ | sh
Agent Compatibility
JSON Output
Agent Skill
MCP Support
AI Analysis
ClickHouse ships a native SQL client and a local query utility in the same toolchain. It gives you a direct command surface for querying ClickHouse servers or using ClickHouse SQL on local and remote files without standing up a cluster.
What It Enables
- Run ad hoc or scripted SQL against ClickHouse servers with
--query, stdin, and URI or flag-based connection options. - Insert data from files or pipelines, parameterize queries from the command line, and export results in formats such as CSV or JSON.
- Use
clickhouse-localto query local files or S3 objects, infer schemas, and convert data between formats without starting a server.
Agent Fit
- Batch mode, stdin/stdout piping, parameterized queries, and explicit flags make it easy to wrap in shell or CI loops.
- Machine-readable output is available, but you need to request it with
--format,--output-format, or SQLFORMATclauses because interactive defaults are human-oriented. - Best fit for agents already operating in a ClickHouse environment or data pipeline; most failures come from credentials, target state, or SQL errors rather than the CLI surface.
Caveats
- Server workflows require reachable ClickHouse instances and credentials; if you omit a password, the client will prompt interactively.
clickhouse-localis positioned for ad hoc file processing and testing, not as a production serving layer.