How do I query databases directly from Vim without leaving my editor?

Explanation

The vim-dadbod plugin by Tim Pope turns Vim into a powerful database client. The :DB command lets you execute SQL queries against PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis, and many other databases — all without switching to a separate terminal or GUI tool.

How it works

Provide a connection URL and a query to the :DB command:

:DB postgresql://user:pass@localhost/mydb SELECT * FROM users LIMIT 10;

The query results appear in a new scratch buffer, formatted as a readable table. You can yank, search, and navigate the results using standard Vim commands.

Setting a default connection

Instead of typing the connection URL every time, set it once per buffer or globally:

" Set for the current buffer
:let b:db = 'postgresql://user:pass@localhost/mydb'

" Set globally in your vimrc
let g:db = 'sqlite:///path/to/app.db'

With a default connection set, you can run queries without the URL:

:DB SELECT * FROM users;

Executing queries from the buffer

The real power of dadbod is running SQL directly from your editing buffer. Write your SQL in any file, then execute it:

• Current line: Place your cursor on a SQL statement and run :DB
• Visual selection: Select a block of SQL in visual mode, then run :'<,'>DB
• Entire file: Run :%DB to execute the whole buffer as a query
• Motion: Use :DB as an operator with db — for example, dBip executes the current paragraph

Supported databases

Companion plugin: vim-dadbod-ui

The vim-dadbod-ui plugin adds a visual database explorer sidebar. Run :DBUI to open a split showing:

• Saved database connections
• Database schemas, tables, and columns
• A query buffer per connection with auto-completion
• Query history that persists across sessions

Press <CR> on a table name to preview its contents, or R to refresh the schema.

Auto-completion with dadbod-completion

Install vim-dadbod-completion to get table name, column name, and keyword completion while writing SQL:

autocmd FileType sql,mysql,plsql lua require('cmp').setup.buffer({ sources = {{ name = 'vim-dadbod-completion' }} })

For Vim users without Lua, it integrates with deoplete, coc.nvim, and Vim's built-in omnifunc.

Managing multiple connections

Define connections in a dictionary for easy switching:

let g:dbs = {
\   'dev': 'postgresql://localhost/myapp_dev',
\   'staging': 'postgresql://staging-host/myapp_staging',
\   'local_sqlite': 'sqlite:///tmp/test.db',
\}

With vim-dadbod-ui, these appear in the sidebar and you can switch between them with a keystroke.

Tips

• Use .sql files as scratch pads for queries — write SQL, visually select it, and run :'<,'>DB to execute just that block
• Dadbod reads credentials from environment variables and .pgpass / .my.cnf files, so you never need to hardcode passwords
• The output buffer is a regular Vim buffer — use / to search results, yy to copy rows, or pipe through :sort
• Combine with vim-dispatch by setting let g:db_async = 1 to run long queries without blocking Vim
• For Neovim users, the full dadbod ecosystem (dadbod + dadbod-ui + dadbod-completion) provides an experience comparable to dedicated database GUIs like DataGrip or DBeaver