Batch convert TSV files to SQL files

Shiji Pan

1 year ago

Want to batch convert TSV files to SQL files?

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

Click “Start a New Convert” at task dialog.

then show the wizard.

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

And config the first source TSV file.

List source TSV files.

After converting, you can view output SQL files.

TSV → SQL reference

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`

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...`

For batch jobs, large files and scheduling use the Data File Converter converter — an offline desktop app for Windows, Linux and macOS. Free trial.

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