# man > SQLITE3(1)

> **TLDR:** Interface to SQLite 3, which is a self-contained file-based embedded SQL engine.
>
- Start an interactive shell with a new database:
  `sqlite3`
- Open an interactive shell against an existing database:
  `sqlite3 {{path/to/database.sqlite3}}`
- Execute an SQL statement against a database and then exit:
  `sqlite3 {{path/to/database.sqlite3}} '{{SELECT * FROM some_table;}}'`

*Source: tldr-pages*

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[_SQLITE3_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/SQLITE3/1/markdown)                             General Commands Manual                            [_SQLITE3_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/SQLITE3/1/markdown)

## NAME
       **sqlite3 **- A command line interface for SQLite version 3


## SYNOPSIS
       **sqlite3 **[_options_] [_databasefile_] [_SQL_]


## SUMMARY
       **sqlite3  **is a terminal-based front-end to the SQLite library that can evaluate queries inter‐
       actively and display the results in multiple formats.  **sqlite3 **can also be used within  shell
       scripts and other applications to provide batch processing features.


## DESCRIPTION
       To start a **sqlite3 **interactive session, invoke the **sqlite3 **command and optionally provide the
       name  of  a  database file.  If the database file does not exist, it will be created.  If the
       database file does exist, it will be opened.

       For example, to create a new database file named "mydata.db", create a  table  named  "memos"
       and insert a couple of records into that table:

       $ **sqlite3 mydata.db**
       SQLite version 3.43.0 2023-08-11 17:45:23
       Enter ".help" for usage hints.
       sqlite> **create table memos(text, priority INTEGER);**
       sqlite> **insert into memos values('deliver project description', 10);**
       sqlite> **insert into memos values('lunch with Christine', 100);**
       sqlite> **select * from memos;**
       deliver project description|10
       lunch with Christine|100
       sqlite>


       If  no database name is supplied, the ATTACH sql command can be used to attach to existing or
       create new database files.  ATTACH can also be used to attach to  multiple  databases  within
       the  same interactive session.  This is useful for migrating data between databases, possibly
       changing the schema along the way.

       Optionally, a SQL statement or set of SQL statements can be supplied as  a  single  argument.
       Multiple statements should be separated by semi-colons.

       For example:

       $ **sqlite3 -line mydata.db 'select * from memos where priority > 20;'**
           text = lunch with Christine
       priority = 100



   **SQLITE META-COMMANDS**
       The  interactive  interpreter  offers  a set of meta-commands that can be used to control the
       output format, examine the currently attached database files, or perform administrative oper‐
       ations upon the attached databases (such as rebuilding indices).   Meta-commands  are  always
       prefixed with a dot (.).

       A  list  of available meta-commands can be viewed at any time by issuing the '.help' command.
       For example:

       sqlite> **.help**


       The available commands differ by version and build options, so  they  are  not  listed  here.
       Please refer to your local copy for all available options.



## INIT FILE
       **sqlite3 **reads an initialization file to set the configuration of the interactive environment.
       Throughout  initialization, any previously specified setting can be overridden.  The sequence
       of initialization is as follows:

       o The default configuration is established as follows:


       mode            = LIST
       separator       = "|"
       main prompt     = "sqlite> "
       continue prompt = "   ...> "


       o If the file **${XDG_CONFIG_HOME}/sqlite3/sqliterc **or **~/.sqliterc **exists, the first  of  those
       to be found is processed during startup.  It should generally only contain meta-commands.

       o If the -init option is present, the specified file is processed.

       o All other command line options are processed.


## SEE ALSO
       <https://sqlite.org/cli.html>
       <https://sqlite.org/fiddle> (a WebAssembly build of the CLI app)
       The sqlite3-doc package.

## AUTHOR
       This  manual  page was originally written by Andreas Rottmann <<rotty@debian.org>>, for the De‐
       bian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others). It was subsequently revised by  Bill  Bum‐
       garner <<bbum@mac.com>>, Laszlo Boszormenyi <<gcs@debian.hu>>, and the sqlite3 developers.

                                    Fri Aug 11 23:50:12 CET 2023                          [_SQLITE3_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/SQLITE3/1/markdown)