The SQL Parameter

The sql parameter lets you filter, sort, aggregate, and transform your data using SQL queries — directly in the URL. The query runs against your data after it's fetched from the source, using SQLite

How It Works

1. CSV Getter fetches your full dataset from Airtable/Notion/CSV.

2. The data is loaded into an in-memory SQLite database as a table called csvgetter.

3. Your SQL query runs against that table.

4. The filtered/transformed result is returned.

Important: The table name is always csvgetter. Use this in your FROM clause.

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Basic Syntax

?sql=SELECT * FROM csvgetter

URL-encoded:

?sql=SELECT%20*%20FROM%20csvgetter

Tip: The URL Wizard in the dashboard builds and encodes URLs for you automatically.

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Examples

1. Select All Data

SELECT * FROM csvgetter

?sql=SELECT%20*%20FROM%20csvgetter

2. Select Specific Columns

SELECT name, email, status FROM csvgetter

?sql=SELECT%20name%2C%20email%2C%20status%20FROM%20csvgetter

3. Filter with WHERE

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE status = 'Active'

?sql=SELECT%20*%20FROM%20csvgetter%20WHERE%20status%20%3D%20%27Active%27

4. Multiple Conditions (AND / OR)

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE status = 'Active' AND department = 'Engineering'

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE status = 'Active' OR status = 'Pending'

5. Comparison Operators

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE age > 25

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE salary >= 50000 AND salary <= 100000

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE hire_date > '2024-01-01'

6. LIKE (Pattern Matching)

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE name LIKE 'John%'

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE email LIKE '[e-mail]'

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE city LIKE '%York%'

7. IN (Multiple Values)

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE department IN ('Engineering', 'Marketing', 'Sales')

8. ORDER BY (Sorting)

SELECT * FROM csvgetter ORDER BY name ASC

SELECT * FROM csvgetter ORDER BY created_date DESC

SELECT * FROM csvgetter ORDER BY department ASC, salary DESC

9. LIMIT (Row Count)

SELECT * FROM csvgetter LIMIT 10

SELECT * FROM csvgetter ORDER BY created_date DESC LIMIT 5

10. LIMIT with OFFSET (Pagination)

SELECT * FROM csvgetter LIMIT 10 OFFSET 20

This skips the first 20 rows and returns the next 10.

11. COUNT (Aggregation)

SELECT COUNT(*) as total FROM csvgetter

SELECT status, COUNT(*) as count FROM csvgetter GROUP BY status

Sample output (as JSON):

[
  {"status": "Active", "count": 42},
  {"status": "Pending", "count": 15},
  {"status": "Closed", "count": 8}
]

12. SUM, AVG, MIN, MAX

SELECT SUM(amount) as total_amount FROM csvgetter

SELECT department, AVG(salary) as avg_salary FROM csvgetter GROUP BY department

SELECT MIN(price) as cheapest, MAX(price) as most_expensive FROM csvgetter

13. GROUP BY

SELECT department, COUNT(*) as headcount, AVG(salary) as avg_salary
FROM csvgetter
GROUP BY department

14. GROUP BY with HAVING

SELECT department, COUNT(*) as headcount
FROM csvgetter
GROUP BY department
HAVING COUNT(*) > 5

15. DISTINCT

SELECT DISTINCT department FROM csvgetter

SELECT DISTINCT city, state FROM csvgetter ORDER BY city

16. NULL Handling

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE phone IS NOT NULL

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE notes IS NULL

17. String Functions

SELECT UPPER(name) as name_upper, LOWER(email) as email_lower FROM csvgetter

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE LENGTH(description) > 100

18. CASE Expressions

SELECT name,
  CASE
    WHEN salary > 100000 THEN 'Senior'
    WHEN salary > 50000 THEN 'Mid'
    ELSE 'Junior'
  END as level
FROM csvgetter

19. Column Aliases

SELECT name AS full_name, email AS contact_email FROM csvgetter

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Column Names with Spaces

If your column names contain spaces, wrap them in double quotes:

SELECT "First Name", "Last Name", "Email Address" FROM csvgetter

SELECT * FROM csvgetter WHERE "Job Title" LIKE '%Manager%'

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Combining SQL with Other Parameters

The sql parameter works alongside other URL parameters:

?sql=SELECT name, email FROM csvgetter WHERE status='Active'&type=json_records&email_me=true

Processing order:

1. Data is fetched from the source

2. sql query is applied

3. type formatting is applied

4. Side effects (email_me, save_to_gdrive, etc.) execute

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Error Handling

If your SQL is invalid, you'll get a 400 response:

{
  "error": "Could not validate sql.",
  "data": "no such column: nonexistent_column",
  "help": "https://docs.csvgetter.com/sql-parameter"
}

Common errors:

Error	Cause	Fix
no such column: X	Column name doesn't exist	Check your field names in the endpoint config
no such table: X	Wrong table name	Always use FROM csvgetter
near "X": syntax error	SQL syntax error	Check your SQL syntax
unrecognized token	Special characters not handled	Use URL encoding

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Supported SQL Features (SQLite)

Since the SQL engine uses SQLite, you have access to:

• SELECT, FROM, WHERE, ORDER BY, GROUP BY, HAVING, LIMIT, OFFSET

• Aggregate functions: COUNT, SUM, AVG, MIN, MAX

• String functions: UPPER, LOWER, LENGTH, SUBSTR, TRIM, REPLACE

• LIKE, IN, BETWEEN, IS NULL, IS NOT NULL

• CASE ... WHEN ... THEN ... ELSE ... END

• DISTINCT

• AND, OR, NOT

• Comparison: =, !=, <, >, <=, >=

• Math: +, -, *, /, %, ABS, ROUND

Not supported:

• JOIN (there's only one table)

• INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE (read-only)

• CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, DROP (read-only)

• Subqueries (limited support — depends on complexity)