Free online SQLITE to CSV converter

Spreadsheet, reporting, or import software may require CSV even when the source data is stored in an SQLite database. CSV also provides a plain-text copy of a table that is easier to share, inspect, or edit than the original database.

What the SQLite format is

SQLite is a serverless relational database stored in a file, commonly with the .sqlite, .sqlite3, or .db extension. Mobile and desktop applications, browsers, embedded devices, testing tools, and local business software use it because the database engine does not require a separate server.

One SQLite file can contain multiple tables, views, indexes, triggers, relationships, and binary BLOB values. Conversion therefore normally exports one table or query result; it does not turn an entire multi-table database into one equivalent CSV file.

What the CSV format is

CSV is a plain-text representation of tabular data, with one record per line and fields separated by commas or another agreed delimiter. Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc, Google Sheets, scripts, data-import utilities, and reporting systems can read it.

CSV is useful for exchanging a table between unrelated programs and does not require a database engine. It does not preserve SQLite indexes, relationships, constraints, triggers, views as database objects, column types, formulas, or multiple tables in one file.

How to convert a SQLite file to CSV

Using the SQLite command-line tool

1. Install the official SQLite command-line utility and make a consistent copy of the database. Close the application using the database first, especially if -wal or -shm files are present.
2. Open a terminal in the database folder and start SQLite with sqlite3 database.sqlite.
3. List tables with .tables, or inspect the schema with .schema.
4. Enable column names and CSV output with .headers on and .mode csv.
5. Redirect the next query result to a file with .once output.csv, then run a SELECT statement.
6. Exit with .quit.

A complete interactive sequence is:

sqlite3 database.sqlite
.headers on
.mode csv
.once output.csv
SELECT * FROM table_name;
.quit

Export selected columns or records by changing the query, for example SELECT id, name, created_at FROM customers WHERE active = 1;. Quote a table name containing spaces or reserved words, for example SELECT * FROM "order details";. A query can also join tables, aggregate records, or apply sorting before the export.

Using a desktop database utility

DB Browser for SQLite can open the database, display its tables, and export a selected table. Open the file, select Browse Data, choose a table, then select File → Export → Table(s) as CSV file. Choose the delimiter, enable column headers, specify the output filename, and save it. Menu names can vary between releases.

Using 101convert

You can convert the file for free on 101convert.com without installing software: upload the SQLite file, choose CSV as the output format, start the conversion, and download the result. Use a local SQLite tool instead when the database contains confidential, personal, or regulated information.

Quality and compatibility limits

Export each required table separately when the database contains several tables. A single CSV cannot retain table boundaries or relationships; a join can produce repeated rows or duplicated fields because related records are flattened into one result.

SQLite uses flexible storage classes, while CSV has no formal type system. Spreadsheet software may change dates, booleans, leading zeros, scientific notation, or large integers during import. Inspect the export as text or import it with explicit column types. Set the character encoding, usually UTF-8, and the delimiter expected by the receiving program.

CSV requires quoting when a value contains the delimiter, quotation marks, or line breaks; SQLite's CSV output mode applies the required quoting. NULL values and empty strings may be treated alike by some importers, so verify how the destination distinguishes them.

BLOB columns are binary and should be exported separately or converted explicitly, for example with SELECT id, hex(blob_column) FROM files;. Keep the original SQLite database: CSV cannot restore its schema, indexes, constraints, relationships, views, or original data types.