sqlite-viewer.nvim

Open a SQLite database file in Neovim and get an interactive table viewer instead of a screen of binary garbage.

• Detects SQLite files by their 16-byte magic header — not just the extension, so non-SQLite .db files still open normally.
• Single-buffer UI: the buffer is the table view. Press T for a floating popup listing tables/views and <CR> to switch.
• Rows render as sqlite3's own output (box mode by default) — what you see is exactly what the CLI prints.
• Browse tables and views, page through rows, inspect schemas in a float. Browsing is strictly read-only.
• A SQL query pane (S) for running arbitrary statements, including writes.
• No dependencies beyond the sqlite3 CLI. No FFI, no build step.

Requirements

• Neovim 0.9+ (uses vim.system when available, falls back to vim.fn.system).
• The sqlite3 binary in your PATH (or point sqlite_cmd at one).

Install

lazy.nvim

{
  "timwmillard/sqlite-viewer.nvim",
  opts = {},
}

packer.nvim

use({
  "timwmillard/sqlite-viewer.nvim",
  config = function()
    require("sqlite-viewer").setup()
  end,
})

Calling setup() is optional — the plugin registers itself with defaults on load. Call it only to change configuration.

Usage

Just :edit any *.db, *.sqlite, or *.sqlite3 file. If it is a real SQLite database, the viewer opens; otherwise the file loads as a normal buffer.

Keymaps (buffer-local, inside the viewer)

Key	Action
T	Toggle the floating table list
<CR>	Open the table under the cursor (in the popup)
]p	Next page of rows
[p	Previous page of rows
r	Refresh table list and current table
K	Show the current table's schema in a float
m	Cycle the sqlite3 display mode (display_modes)
S	Open the SQL query pane
g?	Show a help popup listing these keymaps
q	Close the viewer (or the popup, when it's focused)

All of these are configurable (see below). gg/G and normal movement work as usual within the current page.

SQL query pane

Press S in the viewer to open an editable SQL buffer below the view (filetype=sql, so your usual SQL highlighting applies). Type a statement and press <CR> in normal mode to execute it against the open database:

• Result-returning statements render sqlite3's raw output into the main view.
• Write statements (INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE/DDL) execute for real — the query pane is not read-only. After a write the viewer refreshes so the change is visible immediately. There is no undo; be deliberate.
• Errors render into the main view. r restores the current table view.
• q in the query pane closes just the pane; your query text is kept and S reopens it.

Configuration

Defaults shown:

require("sqlite-viewer").setup({
  patterns = { "*.db", "*.sqlite", "*.sqlite3" }, -- files to consider
  page_size = 100,          -- rows fetched per page
  display_mode = "table",     -- any sqlite3 output mode: box, column, table, markdown, …
  display_modes = { "box", "column", "markdown", "table" }, -- cycled by `toggle_mode`
  include_views = true,     -- list views alongside tables
  sqlite_cmd = "sqlite3",   -- path to the sqlite3 binary
  keymaps = {               -- set any entry to false/"" to disable it
    table_list = "T",   -- toggle the floating table list
    open_table = "<CR>",
    next_page = "]p",
    prev_page = "[p",
    refresh = "r",
    schema = "K",
    toggle_mode = "m",  -- cycle through display_modes
    help = "g?",        -- help popup listing the keymaps
    quit = "q",
    query = "S",      -- open the SQL query pane
    run_query = "<CR>", -- execute the query buffer (normal mode)
  },
})

Viewer buffers use filetype=sqliteviewer if you want to add your own highlights or extra keymaps via a FileType autocmd.

Rendering notes

• The view is sqlite3's raw output in display_mode — the plugin does no formatting of its own. box mode needs sqlite3 3.33+ (2020); use display_mode = "column" on older binaries.
• BLOB cells in table pages render as <BLOB n bytes> — raw bytes are never dumped.
• Row fetches are always bounded by LIMIT/OFFSET; large tables are paged, never loaded whole.

Known limitations

• Browsing is read-only (sqlite3 -readonly); no in-buffer cell editing yet. The SQL query pane is the only write path.
• Query-pane results are not paged — an unbounded SELECT renders everything it returns; add your own LIMIT on big tables.
• No filtering, sorting, or search in the view yet.
• Queries run synchronously; they are fast because fetches are bounded by page_size, but a huge table's count(*) or an expensive query can briefly block.
• Requires the sqlite3 CLI — there are no libsqlite/FFI bindings.