SQL Query Guide 2025: Formatter Tools, Update & Insert Query Examples
By
Liz Fujiwara
•
Oct 16, 2025
Struggling to make sense of messy SQL code can slow down development, increase errors, and make collaboration challenging. An SQL query formatter is a simple yet powerful solution that automatically organizes and cleans up your SQL queries, improving readability and maintainability. By formatting code consistently, these tools not only save time but also reduce the likelihood of syntax errors and make it easier for teams to understand and debug queries. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of using an SQL query formatter and provide a detailed review of the top tools available in 2025 to help you streamline your SQL workflow.
Key Takeaways
SQL query formatter tools improve the readability and maintainability of SQL code, boosting productivity and reducing errors.
Top SQL formatter tools in 2025, including SQLFormat, SQL Pretty Printer, and ApexSQL Refactor, provide user-friendly interfaces, customization options, and integration capabilities to streamline the formatting process.
Best practices for formatting SQL queries include using consistent naming conventions, structuring logical statements clearly, and using automation tools to ensure efficient, maintainable code.
Why Use SQL Query Formatter Tools?
In 2025, SQL query formatter tools are essential for any database professional. These tools enhance the readability and maintainability of SQL code, making it easier for developers to understand and modify queries. By ensuring consistent formatting, they reduce errors and improve codebase reliability.
Well-formatted SQL code is not just about aesthetics; it significantly boosts productivity. Clear, organized code allows developers to quickly grasp logic, speeding up debugging and development. This is especially valuable in collaborative environments where multiple developers work on the same queries. Consistent formatting also eases onboarding, helping new team members get up to speed quickly.
SQL formatter tools support multiple database systems, including MS SQL Server, MySQL, and others. They standardize SQL code across platforms, enhance readability, and simplify code migration between systems.
Ultimately, SQL formatter tools are a small investment with substantial returns. By reducing human errors and ensuring consistency, they let developers focus on what truly matters: writing effective, efficient SQL queries.
Top SQL Query Formatter Tools in 2025
Navigating the wide variety of SQL query formatter tools available in 2025 can be overwhelming. However, a few stand out for their exceptional features, user-friendliness, and efficient handling of data retrieval. Here are three top-tier tools that have proven invaluable for developers and data analysts alike.
These tools simplify SQL formatting and integrate seamlessly with various development environments, boosting productivity and improving code quality. Let’s explore SQLFormat, SQL Pretty Printer, and ApexSQL Refactor in detail.
SQLFormat
SQLFormat is known for its straightforward online interface that makes formatting SQL queries quick and easy. With no registration required, users can rapidly reformat SQL code for improved readability and maintainability. This tool is especially useful for those who need a fast solution without a steep learning curve. Its support for multiple database types makes it versatile for developers working with different SQL dialects, ensuring clean, standardized SQL code across systems.
SQL Pretty Printer
SQL Pretty Printer offers a range of customizable formatting rules that allow users to tailor the output to their specific preferences. This tool integrates seamlessly with multiple integrated development environments (IDEs), enhancing user productivity by allowing developers to format their SQL queries directly within their development environment using structured query language.
Beyond its integration capabilities, SQL Pretty Printer is designed to improve the readability of SQL queries. By offering extensive customization options, developers can ensure that their SQL code adheres to their preferred style and standards, making collaboration and code reviews more efficient.
ApexSQL Refactor
ApexSQL Refactor is a SQL formatting tool designed for MS SQL Server users. With nearly 200 customizable formatting options, it ensures SQL code is readable, maintainable, and aligned with team coding standards. Its automation capabilities and direct integration with Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio streamline formatting workflows, increasing efficiency and consistency.
How to Format SQL Queries: Best Practices
Formatting SQL queries is not just about aesthetics; it’s about enhancing clarity, consistency, and maintainability. One of the best practices is to use uppercase for SQL keywords and lowercase for table names, helping to distinguish different parts of the query. This approach improves code readability, making it easier to understand at a glance.
Adopting a consistent naming convention across all tables and columns is another crucial best practice. Whether you prefer snake_case or lowerCamelCase, maintaining one convention improves consistency and reduces confusion. Indentation and line breaks are also essential, serving as visual indicators that clarify the logical structure of SQL queries in a relational database. This makes complex queries easier to read, debug, and store correctly in the right tables. Proper grouping of unique values can further enhance clarity in testing and query validation.
Splitting long WHERE clauses into multiple lines can significantly improve query readability, making it easier to identify and understand each condition. Additionally, using whitespace strategically between query sections improves visual separation, allowing developers to scan queries more efficiently.
Finally, using explicit aliases with the AS keyword improves clarity by making the source of each column more apparent. Maintaining a logical order in SQL clauses, such as SELECT, FROM, JOIN, and WHERE, facilitates easier review and comprehension. By adhering to these best practices, you can ensure that your SQL code remains both efficient and easy to maintain.
Update & Insert SQL Query Examples
SQL commands are essential for modifying data in database tables. Among these, the UPDATE and INSERT SQL statements are frequently used to manipulate and add records, respectively. Understanding how to use these commands effectively is crucial for any developer working with SQL.
UPDATE Statement
The SQL UPDATE statement allows you to edit rows in a table. The syntax typically includes the table name followed by the SET keyword and the columns to be updated. For example, to update a customer’s name in the Customers table, you would use the following SQL statement:
UPDATE Customers SET Name = 'New Name' WHERE CustomerID = 1;
Including a WHERE clause in your UPDATE statement specifies which records should be updated to retrieve records. Failing to do so will result in all records being affected, which could lead to unintended changes in your database.
INSERT Statement
The INSERT statement in SQL is used to add new records into a specified table. To use the INSERT statement, you specify the table name along with the values to be added for each column. For example, to insert a new customer into the Customers table, you can use the following SQL statement:
INSERT INTO Customers (Name, Email) VALUES ('John Doe', 'john.doe@example.com');
You can also insert multiple rows into a table with a single INSERT statement by separating each set of values with a comma. This capability creates a common table expression for efficient insert data insertion and reduces the number of SQL commands you need to write.
Using SQL Formatter Tools to Optimize Queries
SQL formatter tools in 2025 prioritize automation and integration with modern CI pipelines to improve code quality and reduce errors. These tools offer advanced options for formatting, such as query beautification and syntax highlighting, which significantly improve the readability of SQL queries and ensure that queries are both efficient and easy to understand.
Optimizing SQL queries involves more than just formatting. For example, avoiding *‘SELECT ’ enhances performance, as specifying columns improves efficiency and reduces ambiguity. Similarly, using EXISTS instead of NOT IN when checking for the existence of a value in a table improves performance and efficiency. The SELECT statement plays a crucial role in this context.
Using functions on specific columns in WHERE clauses can slow down queries and make them non-sargable, negatively affecting performance. Additionally, prefixing a string with a wildcard can lead to a full table scan, which significantly impacts query speed. Following these optimization tips can greatly enhance SQL query performance, especially when working with large datasets.
Overall, SQL formatter tools play a vital role in optimizing queries. They not only improve the readability and maintainability of SQL code but also help developers implement best practices that improve overall query performance.
Integrating SQL Formatter Tools with Development Environments
Integrating SQL formatter tools with development environments enhances workflow efficiency. Many of these tools can be added as plugins or extensions within popular IDEs, automating the formatting process and enforcing consistent coding standards. This integration ensures that SQL code remains uniform and readable, regardless of who writes it.
For example, ApexSQL Refactor integrates directly with Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), allowing users to format queries within their development environment. Similarly, the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code enhances SQL development by enabling seamless connections to Azure SQL databases and allowing queries to be executed directly within the IDE.
These integrations simplify the management of large scripts, improve collaboration among developers, and boost overall productivity.
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Summary
In 2025, SQL query formatter tools are indispensable for improving the readability, maintainability, and performance of SQL code. From SQLFormat to SQL Pretty Printer and ApexSQL Refactor, these tools offer unique features that cater to different needs and preferences. By adhering to best practices in formatting SQL queries, developers can ensure their code remains both efficient and easy to understand.
Understanding how to use UPDATE and INSERT statements effectively is crucial for modifying and adding records in a database. Additionally, integrating SQL formatter tools with development environments streamlines workflows and enforces coding standards.
Fonzi’s innovative approach to hiring AI engineers further highlights the importance of leveraging advanced tools and platforms to achieve success in today’s tech landscape. Utilizing these tools and practices can elevate your SQL skills and keep you ahead in the fast-paced world of data management.
