SQL Workspace¶

The SQL Workspace runs DuckDB Spatial SQL right in the app, against your loaded layers, local files, and remote URLs. Open it from Processing → SQL Workspace. The spatial extension is loaded for you, so ST_* functions are available.

SQL Workspace

Querying loaded layers¶

Every loaded vector layer is exposed as a queryable table; the dialog lists the available table names at the top. Write a query in the editor and click Run to see the results.

SELECT NAME, CONTINENT, POP_EST
FROM countries
ORDER BY POP_EST DESC
LIMIT 10;

Reading files and URLs¶

You can query files and remote URLs directly. The workspace auto-wraps a bare URL into the matching reader (for example Parquet, CSV, JSON, or GeoJSON) and streams remote files over HTTP range requests, so you do not have to download them first.

SELECT NAME, CONTINENT, POP_EST, geom
FROM https://data.source.coop/giswqs/opengeos/countries.parquet
LIMIT 100;

Sample queries and history¶

Sample queries and Sample query for layer menus drop ready-made queries into the editor to get you started.
Your previous queries are kept in a history so you can rerun them.

Using the results¶

When a query returns geometry, you can add the result to the map as a new layer (with an optional layer name). The result layer behaves like any vector layer, with identify, selection, and the attribute table. You can also export results as CSV or GeoParquet.

Multiple result layers

You can add several DuckDB query-result layers to the same project and keep them all open at once.

See the Spatial SQL tutorial for an end-to-end walkthrough. The SQL Workspace works in both the browser and the desktop app because it runs on DuckDB-WASM.