lancedb/docs/web/tools/cli.mdx

---
title: "LanceDB CLI"
sidebarTitle: "Command line"
description: "Connect to LanceDB, run SQL, and manage connection profiles with the lancedb command-line client."
icon: terminal
keywords: ["cli", "command line", "sql", "profiles", "authentication"]
---

Use the `lancedb` command-line client to open an interactive SQL shell, run a
statement, or execute a SQL file. SQL requires a running deployment with an
[Arrow Flight SQL endpoint](/basics/sql#sql-is-remote).

## Install

Download a CLI archive and `SHA256SUMS` from the
[LanceDB releases page](https://github.com/lancedb/lancedb/releases). The CLI
shares the SDK release version, including beta versions.

| Platform | Target | Requirements |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Linux x86_64 | `x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu` | glibc 2.28 or newer; Haswell-compatible CPU with AVX2, FMA, and F16C |
| Linux ARM64 | `aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu` | glibc 2.28 or newer |
| macOS Apple Silicon | `aarch64-apple-darwin` | macOS 14 or newer |

Set the version and target to match your chosen release and platform:

```sh
CLI_VERSION=X.Y.Z # Replace with the release version, for example X.Y.Z-beta.N
CLI_TARGET=aarch64-apple-darwin
CLI_STEM="lancedb-v${CLI_VERSION}-${CLI_TARGET}"
CLI_RELEASE_URL="https://github.com/lancedb/lancedb/releases/download/v${CLI_VERSION}"
curl -fLO "${CLI_RELEASE_URL}/${CLI_STEM}.tar.gz"
curl -fLO "${CLI_RELEASE_URL}/SHA256SUMS"
awk -v archive="${CLI_STEM}.tar.gz" '$2 == archive' SHA256SUMS > "${CLI_STEM}.sha256"
```

Verify the downloaded archive before extracting it. On Linux:

```sh
sha256sum --check "${CLI_STEM}.sha256"
```

On macOS:

```sh
shasum -a 256 --check "${CLI_STEM}.sha256"
```

After the checksum passes, install the executable into a directory on your `PATH`:

```sh
tar -xzf "${CLI_STEM}.tar.gz"
mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/bin"
install -m 755 "${CLI_STEM}/lancedb" "$HOME/.local/bin/lancedb"
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
lancedb --version
```

Add `$HOME/.local/bin` to your shell's `PATH` configuration to use it in future
sessions. Each archive also contains the license and Rust third-party notices.

### Build from source

With Rust and Git installed, build the CLI from the LanceDB repository. Check
out a release tag to build that version:

```sh
git clone https://github.com/lancedb/lancedb.git
cd lancedb
git checkout vX.Y.Z # Replace with the desired release tag
cargo install --locked --path rust/lancedb/cli
```

Check the available options:

```sh
lancedb --help
```

## Connect to a deployment

Get the Flight SQL endpoint, HTTP API endpoint, database name, and credentials
from your deployment administrator. Create a named profile to save the
connection settings:

```sh
lancedb profile create production \
  --sql-server-url grpcs://sql.example.com:10025 \
  --http-server-url https://query.example.com \
  --database analytics
```

The SQL endpoint executes statements. The HTTP endpoint supports shell commands
that inspect table and index metadata. Replace both example URLs with the
endpoints for your deployment; they may use different hosts or ports.

For API-key authentication, set the credential in your environment:

```sh
export LANCEDB_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
lancedb --profile production
```

Use `grpcs://` or `https://` for a TLS-protected SQL connection. A bare
`host:port` or a `grpc://` address selects a plaintext connection.

### Set the default profile

```sh
lancedb profile set production
lancedb
```

<Note>
Running `lancedb` opens the SQL shell when the default profile has a Flight SQL
endpoint. If no endpoint is configured, it prints usage and connection setup
guidance. Command and file execution also require a configured endpoint.
</Note>

To connect to an existing server on localhost, explicitly select the built-in
local profile:

```sh
lancedb --profile local
```

This profile uses Flight SQL on port `10025` and HTTP on port `10024`.

## Run SQL

Execute a statement and exit:

```sh
lancedb --profile production --command 'SELECT 1' --format json
```

To execute a file, separate its statements with semicolons. For example, save
the following as `queries.sql`:

```sql
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM documents;
SELECT id, text FROM documents LIMIT 10;
```

Run the file with:

```sh
lancedb --profile production --file queries.sql
```

Quoted strings and comments in SQL files are preserved when statements are
split. `--command` and `--file` are mutually exclusive.

### Choose an output format

For query results, `--format` accepts the following values:

| Format | Output |
| --- | --- |
| `table` | A display table, the default |
| `csv` | Comma-separated values with column headers |
| `json` | A JSON array of rows |
| `ndjson` | One JSON row per line |

```sh
lancedb --profile production --command 'SELECT id FROM documents' --format csv
```

## Use the SQL shell

End SQL statements with a semicolon. Enter `\?` to see the shell's commands.

| Command | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| `\dt` | List tables |
| `\d documents` | Show a table's columns and indexes |
| `\di` | List indexes |
| `\dj` | List jobs |
| `\c analytics` | Connect to another database |
| `\e` | Edit the query buffer in an external editor |
| `\watch 2` | Repeat the last query or listing every two seconds |
| `\q` | Exit the shell |

Add `+` to `\dt`, `\d`, or `\di` for more detail. Use Ctrl+C to cancel the
current input or stop watching a query, and Ctrl+D to exit.

Large interactive results use a pager. Set `NO_PAGER=1` to disable paging.

### Inspect jobs with SQL

```sh
lancedb --profile production --command 'SHOW JOBS'
lancedb --profile production --command "SHOW ERRORS ON documents FOR JOB 'JOB_ID'"
lancedb --profile production --command "CANCEL JOB 'JOB_ID'"
```

See the [job SQL reference](/sql/ddl/job) for syntax and deployment requirements,
and the [SQL reference](/sql) for other supported statements.

## Manage profiles

Profiles are stored in `~/.lancedb/config.toml`. The CLI reuses existing
Enterprise profiles and cached OAuth sessions.

```sh
lancedb profile list
lancedb profile show production
lancedb profile edit production --database staging
lancedb profile delete production
```

Use `lancedb profile create NAME` without connection flags for interactive
setup. For a single SQL invocation, flags such as `--database` and
`--sql-server-url` override the selected profile.

Put each command's flags after that command. For example, use
`lancedb auth login --profile production` or `lancedb profile edit production
--database staging`.

## Authenticate with OAuth

To use OAuth, configure an `oidc` table in the selected profile with your
identity provider's settings. For example, add the following to
`~/.lancedb/config.toml` for a device-code login:

```toml
[profiles.production.oidc]
flow = "device_code"
issuer_url = "https://identity.example.com"
client_id = "YOUR_CLIENT_ID"
scopes = ["openid", "offline_access"]
```

Choose one authentication method per profile. An OAuth profile cannot also
contain `api_key` or `oidc_access_token_file`. Environment credentials override
the profile, so clear API-key overrides before connecting with OAuth:

```sh
unset LANCEDB_API_KEY
lancedb auth login --profile production
lancedb auth status --profile production
lancedb --profile production
```

`auth login` follows the profile's OAuth flow. Browser and device-code sessions
cache refresh tokens for later commands. Use `lancedb auth logout --profile
production` to clear the profile's cached session.

See [authentication](/enterprise/authentication) for identity provider setup and
available authentication methods.

## Configure TLS

To trust a private certificate authority, pass its PEM certificate:

```sh
lancedb --profile production --ca-cert /path/to/ca.pem
```

If the server requires mutual TLS, supply both a client certificate and its
PKCS#8 private key. Save these settings in the profile with:

```sh
lancedb profile edit production \
  --ca-cert /path/to/ca.pem \
  --client-cert /path/to/client.pem \
  --client-key /path/to/client-key.pem
```