DuckDB CLI

DuckDB CLI is the standalone shell for DuckDB's analytical SQL engine. It lets you run ad hoc or scripted SQL against DuckDB databases and file-based datasets without standing up a separate database server.

• Query, join, and aggregate CSV, Parquet, JSON, and DuckDB data directly from the terminal.
• Create local analytical databases, import data, and export results in formats like CSV, JSON, and NDJSON.
• Run repeatable inspection, transformation, and reporting steps from one-off commands, SQL files, or shell pipelines.

• -c, -s, -f, and stdin support make it easy to drop into batch jobs, CI steps, and multi-command agent loops.
• JSON and JSON Lines output modes give agents structured results they can parse and feed into follow-up commands.
• The surface is powerful but SQL-centric, so agent success depends on generating correct queries and iterating on schema discovery rather than calling high-level task-specific subcommands.

• Many useful workflows rely on writing SQL rather than invoking purpose-built verbs, which raises the bar for reliable autonomous use.
• The shell can read and write local files and run shell-adjacent commands unless you enable -safe or otherwise constrain the environment.