Convert TSV to SQL

Want to convert TSV file to SQL file?

If you want to import TSV file to SQL Server, see this page: TSV to SQL Server.

If you want to import TSV file to SQLite, see this page: TSV to SQLite.

Try Withdata Data File Converter, a desktop TSV to SQL converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Convert TSV to SQL, Easy and Fast.

Can run in GUI mode, Step by Step, just a few mouse clicks.
Can run in Command line, for Scheduled Tasks and Streams.
Convert files locally and privately, avoid uploading large TSV file(s) to online services.
Support Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Download Withdata DataFileConverter

Convert TSV to SQL

Choose TSV file -> Set SQL file -> Convert TSV to SQL

“Start a New Convert” for “TSV to SQL”.

convert TSV file to SQL file - task window

Select From “File” “TSV” To “File” “SQL”.

create SQL file by TSV file - select type

1. Open source TSV file.

Support large TSV file ( > 4GB ).

transform TSV file to SQL file - open a TSV file

Source TSV file’s content is like this:

TSV to SQL converter - source TSV file

2. Config target SQL file.

generate SQL file by TSV file - config SQL file

3. Set rows options.

convert TSV file to SQL file - summary

4. Convert TSV to SQL.

convert TSV file to SQL file - convert file

After converting, you can view the output SQL file.

convert TSV file to SQL file - view SQL file

More about TSV to SQL converter

Download Withdata DataFileConverter

See Video: Convert TSV file to SQL file without coding

TSV → SQL reference

Type mapping

Value kind	in TSV	in SQL
Int	`1234`	`INT`
Bigint	`9007199254740993`	`BIGINT`
Decimal	`1234.56`	`DECIMAL(p,s)`
Float	`1.234e+10`	`DOUBLE PRECISION`
Text	`unquoted; a tab in the value splits the column`	`VARCHAR(n)`
Long text	`unquoted; newlines break the row`	`TEXT / CLOB`
Date	`2026-09-18`	`DATE`
Datetime	`2026-09-18 14:30:00`	`TIMESTAMP`
Binary	`not representable`	`BLOB / BYTEA`
Boolean	`TRUE / FALSE`	`BOOLEAN / SMALLINT`
JSON	`the whole JSON value as-is (its own quotes stay)`	`JSON / TEXT`

Dialect differences

Both TSV and SQL are file formats, so what differs below is how each one chooses to represent a value.

Property	in TSV	in SQL
identifiers	`Rarely used, which is exactly why tabs in data break it`	`Two competing conventions: single-quoted literals and diale...`
dates	`Conventional text: 2026-09-18 or 2026-09-18 14:30:00`	`Depends on the dialect: DATE literals, TO_DATE(), or plain ...`
binary	`Not supported - must be encoded`	`Dialect-specific: X-quoted literal, 0x hex, or decode()`
separator	`Tab`	`Statement terminators (;)`
encoding	`No declaration - UTF-8 works only with a BOM`	`No declaration`
typing	`None - every field is text`	`Types belong to the target database, and they differ betwee...`
shape	`Flat table, optional header row`	`Statements; a dump usually means CREATE TABLE plus INSERT rows`
ceiling	`No formal limit`	`No formal limit, but a single INSERT statement has to fit i...`

Convert TSV to SQL the easy way

Use the TSV to SQL converter — an offline desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux. Nothing to upload, large files and batch runs supported (free trial).

New to the format? Read what a TSV file is (and how it differs from CSV).