DataGrip / IntelliJ SQL Formatter Alternative — Free, No Install

JetBrains DataGrip is excellent. The SQL formatter is one of the best in the industry. The problem is the price — 229 dollars per year per seat — and the install footprint, which is multi-gigabyte and slow to launch. If you only need to format a SQL query a few times per week, DataGrip is overkill.

Our browser-based formatter handles the formatting case without the install. Pick your dialect, paste your query, click Format. Output is comparable to DataGrip for 95% of real-world SQL. No license, no JetBrains account, no IDE launch.

When DataGrip Is Worth Paying $229 Per Year

DataGrip is the right call for some people. Be honest about whether you are one of them:

• You write SQL as your primary job. Data engineers, BI developers, ETL specialists writing 4+ hours of SQL per day will benefit from DataGrip's full feature set: schema introspection, query execution, refactoring, version control integration.
• You manage 5+ databases simultaneously. DataGrip's database tree view is the best in the industry for jumping between Postgres, MySQL, SQL Server, and Oracle in one window.
• You need IntelliSense for SQL. Auto-complete with awareness of your actual schema is a productivity multiplier.
• You write queries that exceed 1000 lines. DataGrip handles huge files better than browser tabs.

If you are not in this category, the browser tool is enough.

When the Browser Tool Is Enough — and Saves $229

For these users, the browser tool covers what they actually need:

• Backend developers who write SQL occasionally for migrations, fixes, or one-off queries.
• Data analysts who write SQL in dashboards (Looker, Tableau, Mode) and need to format queries for sharing.
• DBAs maintaining legacy systems who format the rare query that comes through and want a quick tool.
• Junior developers learning SQL who do not need a full IDE yet.
• Contractors switching between client environments who cannot install IDEs everywhere.
• Anyone on a corporate-locked machine where installing JetBrains products is blocked.

For these cases, paying 229 dollars per year for a feature you use 30 minutes per week is a poor trade.

DataGrip vs Browser Tool — Feature Comparison

Feature	DataGrip	Browser Tool
SQL formatting	Excellent	Excellent (95% match)
Multiple dialects	20+	7 (Standard, MySQL, Postgres, SQLite, MariaDB, BigQuery, T-SQL)
Schema introspection	Yes	No
Query execution	Yes	No
Auto-complete	Yes (schema-aware)	No
Refactoring	Yes	No
Version control	Yes (Git integration)	No
Cost	$229/year per seat	Free, no signup
Install size	~2GB	0KB (runs in browser tab)
Launch time	5-15 seconds	Instant
Privacy	Local install	Local browser, no upload

DataGrip is a full database IDE. The browser tool is a focused formatter. Pick the right tool for what you actually do.

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Format SQL Like DataGrip Would — Browser Workflow

1. Copy your query from any source — DataGrip Light if you are using it, IntelliJ Database tool window, a Slack message, anywhere.
2. Open the SQL formatter in a browser tab — bookmark it for daily use.
3. Paste the query into the input area.
4. Set dialect — match what DataGrip's dialect setting would be: MySQL for MySQL, PostgreSQL for Postgres, etc.
5. Set indent — 2 or 4 spaces, matching your team's DataGrip code style.
6. Toggle uppercase keywords — to match DataGrip's default SQL style (which uppercases keywords).
7. Click Format — output is comparable to what DataGrip Cmd+Alt+L would produce.
8. Copy and paste back into your destination.

The output will not be 100% identical to DataGrip — small whitespace differences exist — but it will be functionally equivalent for code review, sharing, and migration files.

Where the Browser Tool Differs From DataGrip Output

DataGrip and the browser tool agree on 95% of formatting. The remaining 5% comes down to a few specific quirks:

• Line break before AS keyword. DataGrip can be configured to break before AS in column aliases. The browser tool keeps AS on the same line as the column expression.
• JOIN ON formatting. DataGrip can put the ON clause on the same line as the JOIN keyword or on the next line. The browser tool keeps ON on the same line as JOIN by default.
• Comment placement. DataGrip aligns trailing comments at the same column. The browser tool places them right after the code.
• UNION spacing. DataGrip adds blank lines around UNION ALL. The browser tool keeps UNION ALL inline with the queries.
• CTE blank lines. Both tools add blank lines between CTEs, but the exact spacing varies.

For code review, sharing, and migration files, these differences do not matter. For team-wide code style enforcement, DataGrip is more configurable.

Other Browser Tools That Replace IntelliJ Features

IntelliJ has many features that have free browser equivalents. These are the most useful for occasional users:

JSON formatter — IntelliJ's JSON formatting is excellent. Our JSON formatter covers 95% of cases for casual users.

Code formatter (JS, HTML, CSS, GraphQL) — for the languages IntelliJ formats, our code formatter handles them in a browser tab.

Diff checker — IntelliJ's diff viewer is great for files. For comparing two code snippets quickly, the browser code diff tool is faster.

Regex tester — IntelliJ has a regex tester built in. Our regex tester works without launching IntelliJ.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the browser formatter as good as DataGrip for SQL formatting?

For 95% of real-world SQL, yes. Both tools handle CTEs, window functions, JOINs, subqueries, and stored procedure bodies cleanly. DataGrip is more configurable for team-wide style enforcement, but the browser tool produces equivalent output for code review and sharing.

Why would I pay for DataGrip if a free tool exists?

DataGrip is a full database IDE: query execution, schema introspection, schema-aware auto-complete, refactoring, version control. The free tool only formats. If you need the full IDE, DataGrip is worth the price. If you only need formatting, the free tool covers it.

Can I use the browser tool for IntelliJ Ultimate users who already have SQL support?

Yes. IntelliJ Ultimate includes some database tools, but the formatter is the same as DataGrip. The browser tool is useful for IntelliJ users who want to format quickly without opening the database tool window.

Does the browser tool support DataGrip code style settings?

No. The browser tool uses sensible defaults (2/4 space indent, uppercase keywords, line breaks at SELECT/FROM/WHERE). DataGrip allows fine-grained control over every formatting option. For team-wide code style enforcement, DataGrip is the right choice.

Will the browser tool replace my IntelliJ install?

No. The browser tool is a focused formatter. IntelliJ is a full IDE. They serve different purposes. Many developers use IntelliJ for development and the browser tool for quick formatting tasks outside the IDE (Slack messages, Confluence pages, code reviews).