Introducing SQEEL: A Fast, Vim-Native SQL Client in Rust

published: 2026-04-24

tags: [ #rust, #cli, #sql, #vim, #tui, #gui, #database, #open source, #sqeel ]

Every SQL client I tried eventually annoyed me. DBeaver hauls a JVM. TablePlus is closed-source. The Electron crowd burns 500MB of RAM to show a grid. I wanted something that starts instantly, lives in the terminal, and respects my muscle memory. So I built one.

Meet SQEEL.

What is SQEEL? ⚡

SQEEL is a fast, vim-native SQL client written in Rust. No Electron. No JVM. It ships two binaries from one workspace:

sqeel: a terminal UI built on ratatui
sqeel-gui: a native GUI built on iced

Same core, same keybindings, same config. Pick the one your mood wants today.

Features

Native Rust: instant startup, single binary
Vim bindings first class, not an afterthought
Mouse support in every pane (even in the TUI)
MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite via sqlx
tree-sitter SQL syntax highlighting, dialect-aware
LSP integration with sqls for completions and inline diagnostic underlines
Schema browser: click or hjkl to expand/collapse
Editor tabs with lazy loading and 5-minute RAM eviction
Auto-save SQL buffers, result history, query history
tmux-aware pane navigation: Ctrl+HJKL crosses tmux panes cleanly
Vim status bar and command mode (:q, :w, all the muscle memory)

Layout

┌──────────┬─────────────────────────────┐
│          │  [tab1] [tab2]              │
│  Schema  │         Editor              │
│  (15%)   │         (85%)               │
│          │                             │
│          ├─────────────────────────────┤
│          │         Results             │
│          │      (shows on query)       │
└──────────┴─────────────────────────────┘

Results hide when empty so the editor fills the right pane. Run a query and the results pane expands to 50%. Dismiss with q and you're back to full-size editing. No wasted pixels.

Connections as Files

Every connection is one TOML file in ~/.config/sqeel/conns/. Filename becomes the display name.

# ~/.config/sqeel/conns/prod.toml
url = "postgres://user:pass@host/db"

# ~/.config/sqeel/conns/local.toml
url = "mysql://localhost/mydb"

Drop a file in, it shows up in the connection switcher (<leader>c). Version control it, symlink it, rsync it between machines. No proprietary blob.

The Vim Bit

If you already live in vim, you already know how to drive SQEEL. i to insert, Esc to normal, v for visual, : for command mode, / to search. Leader key (default Space) opens the fun stuff:

Key	Action
`<leader>c`	Connection switcher
`<leader>n`	New scratch tab
`<leader>r`	Rename current tab
`<leader>d`	Delete tab (confirm)
`<leader><leader>`	Fuzzy file picker

Running a query is Ctrl+Enter for the statement under the cursor, or Ctrl+Shift+Enter to run every statement in the buffer.

LSP-Powered Autocomplete

Point editor.lsp_binary at sqls and you get schema-aware completions, hover docs, and inline diagnostic underlines, using the same machinery your editor already uses, wired into the SQL editor pane. No bespoke completion engine to maintain, no magic.

Two UIs, One Core

The workspace splits cleanly:

sqeel-core/   # state, DB, query runner, schema, config
sqeel-tui/    # ratatui terminal provider
sqeel-gui/    # iced native GUI provider
sqeel/        # binaries: sqeel + sqeel-gui

All the logic (connections, schema, query execution, history, eviction) lives in sqeel-core. The TUI and GUI are thin providers that render the same state. Fix a bug in the core, both UIs benefit. Want a web provider next? Drop in another crate.

Why Rust?

Same reasons as always: performance, single-binary distribution, and sqlx. SQEEL opens instantly, connects to a real production database without a JVM warming up, and fits in a cargo install one-liner. No runtime to manage, no package manager to fight.

How to Get It 📦

cargo install --git https://github.com/sqeel-sql/sqeel --bin sqeel
cargo install --git https://github.com/sqeel-sql/sqeel --bin sqeel-gui

Or clone and build:

git clone https://github.com/sqeel-sql/sqeel
cd sqeel
cargo build --release

Binaries land in target/release/sqeel and target/release/sqeel-gui.

Final Thoughts

SQEEL started the way most of my tools do: I was annoyed at something, and a weekend later there was a prototype. It's now my daily driver for every database I touch. If you live in vim, write a lot of SQL, and resent every Electron SQL client you've ever opened, give it a spin. Issues and PRs welcome at github.com/sqeel-sql/sqeel. 🍻