SQL Runner basics

SQL Runner provides a way to directly access your database and to leverage that access in a variety of ways. Using SQL Runner, you can easily navigate the tables in your schema, use an ad hoc Explore from a SQL query, run prewritten descriptive queries on your data, see your SQL Runner history, download results, share queries, add to a LookML project as a derived table, and perform other useful tasks.

This page describes how to navigate to SQL Runner and shows which database dialects support SQL Runner features. See these other documentation pages for information on:

If you have the permissions to see LookML and to use SQL Runner, you can navigate to SQL Runner in two ways:

  • In the Develop menu, select SQL Runner.

  • From an Explore, click SQL on the Data bar to see the SQL. Then click Open in SQL Runner to see the query in SQL Runner, or click Explain in SQL Runner to open SQL Runner and request the database's execution plan for the query.

Basic SQL Runner usage

This section describes how to use SQL Runner to directly access tables in your schema, run a SQL query on your data, and see query results.

  1. Select the Connection that you want to query.
  2. Select the Schema that you want to query. For Google BigQuery connections, select the Project (if your BigQuery connection supports multiple databases) and the Dataset.
  3. Select a table to show its columns in the Results area.
  4. Optionally, select the ⊝ icon to collapse the left panel. If the panel is collapsed, select the ⊕ icon to expand the panel.
  5. Check the database SQL dialect used for the query. The dialect is displayed on the right side of the Query bar.
  6. Write a SQL command in the text box below the Query bar.
  7. Select Run to execute the SQL query.
  8. View the information that is returned by the database in the Results area.

SQL Runner visualizations

If your Looker admin has enabled the SQL Runner Vis Labs feature, you can create visualizations directly in SQL Runner.

For more information, see the Using SQL Runner to create queries and Explores documentation page.

Supported database dialects for SQL Runner features

For Looker to support SQL Runner features in your Looker project, your database dialect must also support them. The following tables show which dialects support each SQL Runner feature.

These dialects support SQL Runner Show Processes:

Dialect Supported?
Actian Avalanche
No
Amazon Athena
No
Amazon Aurora MySQL
Yes
Amazon Redshift
Yes
Apache Druid
No
Apache Druid 0.13+
No
Apache Druid 0.18+
No
Apache Hive 2.3+
No
Apache Hive 3.1.2+
No
Apache Spark 3+
No
ClickHouse
Yes
Cloudera Impala 3.1+
No
Cloudera Impala 3.1+ with Native Driver
No
Cloudera Impala with Native Driver
No
DataVirtuality
No
Databricks
No
Denodo 7
Yes
Denodo 8
Yes
Dremio
No
Dremio 11+
No
Exasol
No
Firebolt
Yes
Google BigQuery Legacy SQL
No
Google BigQuery Standard SQL
No
Google Cloud PostgreSQL
Yes
Google Cloud SQL
Yes
Google Spanner
No
Greenplum
Yes
HyperSQL
No
IBM Netezza
No
MariaDB
Yes
Microsoft Azure PostgreSQL
Yes
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Yes
Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics
No
Microsoft SQL Server 2008+
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2012+
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2016
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2017+
Yes
MongoBI
Yes
MySQL
Yes
MySQL 8.0.12+
Yes
Oracle
Yes
Oracle ADWC
Yes
PostgreSQL 9.5+
Yes
PostgreSQL pre-9.5
Yes
PrestoDB
Yes
PrestoSQL
Yes
SAP HANA 2+
Yes
SingleStore
Yes
SingleStore 7+
Yes
Snowflake
No
Teradata
No
Trino
Yes
Vector
No
Vertica
Yes

These dialects support SQL Runner Describe Table:

Dialect Supported?
Actian Avalanche
Yes
Amazon Athena
Yes
Amazon Aurora MySQL
Yes
Amazon Redshift
Yes
Apache Druid
No
Apache Druid 0.13+
No
Apache Druid 0.18+
No
Apache Hive 2.3+
Yes
Apache Hive 3.1.2+
Yes
Apache Spark 3+
Yes
ClickHouse
Yes
Cloudera Impala 3.1+
Yes
Cloudera Impala 3.1+ with Native Driver
Yes
Cloudera Impala with Native Driver
Yes
DataVirtuality
Yes
Databricks
Yes
Denodo 7
Yes
Denodo 8
Yes
Dremio
Yes
Dremio 11+
Yes
Exasol
Yes
Firebolt
Yes
Google BigQuery Legacy SQL
No
Google BigQuery Standard SQL
No
Google Cloud PostgreSQL
Yes
Google Cloud SQL
Yes
Google Spanner
No
Greenplum
Yes
HyperSQL
Yes
IBM Netezza
No
MariaDB
Yes
Microsoft Azure PostgreSQL
Yes
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Yes
Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2008+
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2012+
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2016
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2017+
Yes
MongoBI
Yes
MySQL
Yes
MySQL 8.0.12+
Yes
Oracle
Yes
Oracle ADWC
Yes
PostgreSQL 9.5+
Yes
PostgreSQL pre-9.5
Yes
PrestoDB
Yes
PrestoSQL
Yes
SAP HANA 2+
Yes
SingleStore
Yes
SingleStore 7+
Yes
Snowflake
Yes
Teradata
Yes
Trino
Yes
Vector
Yes
Vertica
Yes

These dialects support SQL Runner Show Indexes:

Dialect Supported?
Actian Avalanche
Yes
Amazon Athena
No
Amazon Aurora MySQL
Yes
Amazon Redshift
Yes
Apache Druid
No
Apache Druid 0.13+
No
Apache Druid 0.18+
No
Apache Hive 2.3+
Yes
Apache Hive 3.1.2+
No
Apache Spark 3+
No
ClickHouse
No
Cloudera Impala 3.1+
No
Cloudera Impala 3.1+ with Native Driver
No
Cloudera Impala with Native Driver
No
DataVirtuality
No
Databricks
No
Denodo 7
No
Denodo 8
No
Dremio
No
Dremio 11+
No
Exasol
No
Firebolt
Yes
Google BigQuery Legacy SQL
No
Google BigQuery Standard SQL
No
Google Cloud PostgreSQL
Yes
Google Cloud SQL
Yes
Google Spanner
No
Greenplum
Yes
HyperSQL
Yes
IBM Netezza
No
MariaDB
Yes
Microsoft Azure PostgreSQL
Yes
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Yes
Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics
No
Microsoft SQL Server 2008+
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2012+
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2016
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2017+
Yes
MongoBI
Yes
MySQL
Yes
MySQL 8.0.12+
Yes
Oracle
Yes
Oracle ADWC
No
PostgreSQL 9.5+
Yes
PostgreSQL pre-9.5
Yes
PrestoDB
No
PrestoSQL
No
SAP HANA 2+
No
SingleStore
Yes
SingleStore 7+
Yes
Snowflake
No
Teradata
Yes
Trino
No
Vector
Yes
Vertica
No

These dialects support SQL Runner Select 10:

Dialect Supported?
Actian Avalanche
Yes
Amazon Athena
Yes
Amazon Aurora MySQL
Yes
Amazon Redshift
Yes
Apache Druid
Yes
Apache Druid 0.13+
Yes
Apache Druid 0.18+
Yes
Apache Hive 2.3+
Yes
Apache Hive 3.1.2+
Yes
Apache Spark 3+
Yes
ClickHouse
Yes
Cloudera Impala 3.1+
Yes
Cloudera Impala 3.1+ with Native Driver
Yes
Cloudera Impala with Native Driver
Yes
DataVirtuality
Yes
Databricks
Yes
Denodo 7
Yes
Denodo 8
Yes
Dremio
Yes
Dremio 11+
Yes
Exasol
Yes
Firebolt
Yes
Google BigQuery Legacy SQL
Yes
Google BigQuery Standard SQL
Yes
Google Cloud PostgreSQL
Yes
Google Cloud SQL
Yes
Google Spanner
Yes
Greenplum
Yes
HyperSQL
Yes
IBM Netezza
Yes
MariaDB
Yes
Microsoft Azure PostgreSQL
Yes
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Yes
Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2008+
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2012+
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2016
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2017+
Yes
MongoBI
Yes
MySQL
Yes
MySQL 8.0.12+
Yes
Oracle
Yes
Oracle ADWC
Yes
PostgreSQL 9.5+
Yes
PostgreSQL pre-9.5
Yes
PrestoDB
Yes
PrestoSQL
Yes
SAP HANA 2+
Yes
SingleStore
Yes
SingleStore 7+
Yes
Snowflake
Yes
Teradata
Yes
Trino
Yes
Vector
Yes
Vertica
Yes

These dialects support SQL Runner Count:

Dialect Supported?
Actian Avalanche
Yes
Amazon Athena
Yes
Amazon Aurora MySQL
Yes
Amazon Redshift
Yes
Apache Druid
Yes
Apache Druid 0.13+
Yes
Apache Druid 0.18+
Yes
Apache Hive 2.3+
Yes
Apache Hive 3.1.2+
Yes
Apache Spark 3+
Yes
ClickHouse
Yes
Cloudera Impala 3.1+
Yes
Cloudera Impala 3.1+ with Native Driver
Yes
Cloudera Impala with Native Driver
Yes
DataVirtuality
Yes
Databricks
Yes
Denodo 7
Yes
Denodo 8
Yes
Dremio
Yes
Dremio 11+
Yes
Exasol
Yes
Firebolt
Yes
Google BigQuery Legacy SQL
Yes
Google BigQuery Standard SQL
Yes
Google Cloud PostgreSQL
Yes
Google Cloud SQL
Yes
Google Spanner
Yes
Greenplum
Yes
HyperSQL
Yes
IBM Netezza
Yes
MariaDB
Yes
Microsoft Azure PostgreSQL
Yes
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Yes
Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2008+
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2012+
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2016
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2017+
Yes
MongoBI
Yes
MySQL
Yes
MySQL 8.0.12+
Yes
Oracle
Yes
Oracle ADWC
Yes
PostgreSQL 9.5+
Yes
PostgreSQL pre-9.5
Yes
PrestoDB
Yes
PrestoSQL
Yes
SAP HANA 2+
Yes
SingleStore
Yes
SingleStore 7+
Yes
Snowflake
Yes
Teradata
Yes
Trino
Yes
Vector
Yes
Vertica
Yes

These dialects support SQL Explain:

Dialect Supported?
Actian Avalanche
No
Amazon Athena
No
Amazon Aurora MySQL
Yes
Amazon Redshift
Yes
Apache Druid
Yes
Apache Druid 0.13+
Yes
Apache Druid 0.18+
Yes
Apache Hive 2.3+
Yes
Apache Hive 3.1.2+
Yes
Apache Spark 3+
Yes
ClickHouse
No
Cloudera Impala 3.1+
Yes
Cloudera Impala 3.1+ with Native Driver
Yes
Cloudera Impala with Native Driver
Yes
DataVirtuality
No
Databricks
Yes
Denodo 7
No
Denodo 8
No
Dremio
No
Dremio 11+
No
Exasol
No
Firebolt
Yes
Google BigQuery Legacy SQL
No
Google BigQuery Standard SQL
No
Google Cloud PostgreSQL
Yes
Google Cloud SQL
Yes
Google Spanner
No
Greenplum
Yes
HyperSQL
No
IBM Netezza
Yes
MariaDB
Yes
Microsoft Azure PostgreSQL
Yes
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
No
Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics
Yes
Microsoft SQL Server 2008+
No
Microsoft SQL Server 2012+
No
Microsoft SQL Server 2016
No
Microsoft SQL Server 2017+
No
MongoBI
Yes
MySQL
Yes
MySQL 8.0.12+
Yes
Oracle
No
Oracle ADWC
No
PostgreSQL 9.5+
Yes
PostgreSQL pre-9.5
Yes
PrestoDB
Yes
PrestoSQL
Yes
SAP HANA 2+
No
SingleStore
Yes
SingleStore 7+
Yes
Snowflake
Yes
Teradata
Yes
Trino
Yes
Vector
No
Vertica
Yes