How to use the command csvsql (with examples)

The csvsql command is a tool included in csvkit, which allows you to generate SQL statements for a CSV file or execute those statements directly on a database. With csvsql, you can generate CREATE TABLE statements for a CSV file, import a CSV file into an SQL database, or run SQL queries on a CSV file.

Use case 1: Generate a CREATE TABLE SQL statement for a CSV file

Code:

csvsql path/to/data.csv

Motivation: The motivation behind generating a CREATE TABLE SQL statement for a CSV file is to create a database table that accurately represents the structure and data types of the CSV file. This is useful when you want to import the CSV data into an SQL database and ensure that the table schema matches the structure of the data.

Explanation:

• csvsql: The csvsql command from csvkit.
• path/to/data.csv: The path to the CSV file for which you want to generate the CREATE TABLE SQL statement.

Example output:

CREATE TABLE data (
        column1 TEXT,
        column2 INTEGER,
        column3 FLOAT,
        column4 DATE
);

Use case 2: Import a CSV file into an SQL database

Code:

csvsql --insert --db "mysql://user:password@host/database" data.csv

Motivation: The motivation behind importing a CSV file into an SQL database is to transfer the data from the CSV file into a database table. This is useful when you want to perform complex SQL queries on the data or combine it with other data stored in the database.

Explanation:

• csvsql: The csvsql command from csvkit.
• –insert: This argument tells csvsql to generate INSERT statements instead of CREATE TABLE statements.
• –db “mysql://user:password@host/database”: This argument specifies the database connection URL for the target database. Replace “user”, “password”, “host”, and “database” with the actual values.
• data.csv: The path to the CSV file that you want to import.

Example output:

INSERT INTO data (column1, column2, column3, column4) VALUES ('value1', 123, 3.14, '2022-01-01');
INSERT INTO data (column1, column2, column3, column4) VALUES ('value2', 456, 2.71, '2022-02-01');
INSERT INTO data (column1, column2, column3, column4) VALUES ('value3', 789, 1.618, '2022-03-01');

Use case 3: Run an SQL query on a CSV file

Code:

csvsql --query "select * from 'data'" data.csv

Motivation: The motivation behind running an SQL query on a CSV file is to perform data analysis or filtering operations on the CSV data using SQL syntax. This allows you to leverage the power and flexibility of SQL to manipulate the data in the CSV file.

Explanation:

• csvsql: The csvsql command from csvkit.
• –query “select * from ‘data’”: This argument specifies the SQL query you want to run on the CSV file. In this example, we are selecting all columns from the table named ‘data’.
• data.csv: The path to the CSV file that you want to query.

Example output:

column1,column2,column3,column4
value1,123,3.14,2022-01-01
value2,456,2.71,2022-02-01
value3,789,1.618,2022-03-01

Conclusion:

The csvsql command is a powerful tool for working with CSV files and SQL databases. It allows you to generate SQL statements for a CSV file or directly execute those statements on a database. Whether you need to generate a CREATE TABLE statement, import a CSV file into a database, or run SQL queries on a CSV file, csvsql provides the necessary functionality to manipulate and analyze your data efficiently.