Want to import data from JSON Lines (JSONL / NDJSON / LDJSON) file to SQL Server ?
Try Withdata FileToDB, a desktop JSONL to SQL Server converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Import JSON Lines to SQL Server, 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 locally and privately, avoid uploading large or private JSONL file(s) to online services.
JSON Lines text format (JSONL), also called Newline-delimited JSON (NDJSON), or Line-delimited JSON (LDJSON). JSON Lines files may be saved with the file extension .jsonl, *.ndjson, *.ldjson.
Import data from JSON Lines (JSONL / NDJSON / LDJSON) file to SQL Server
Login to SQL Server -> Choose JSON Lines file -> Set SQL Server table -> Import JSON Lines to SQL Server
Choose SQL Server and logon.
Click “Wizard – 1 File To 1 Table” at task dialog.
Select the “JSON” file type.
then show the wizard.
1. Open a JSON Lines (JSONL / NDJSON / LDJSON) file.
Support large ( > 4GB ) JSON Lines file.
Here is the file’s content.
FileToDB will parse JSON Lines file.
2. Select a SQL Server table and config fields.
3. Preview data will be in SQL Server table.
4. Import JSON Lines data to SQL Server.
View imported data in SQL Server table
Convert JSON Lines (JSONL / NDJSON / LDJSON) to SQL Server in command line
Save “JSON Lines to SQL Server” session, then you can:
- Import JSON Lines (JSONL / NDJSON / LDJSON) to SQL Server in Windows command line.
- Import JSON Lines (JSONL / NDJSON / LDJSON) to SQL Server in Linux command line.
- Import JSON Lines (JSONL / NDJSON / LDJSON) to SQL Server in macOS command line.
Set scheduled tasks for converting JSON Lines (JSONL / NDJSON / LDJSON) to SQL Server
You can schedule and automate this “JSON Lines to SQL Server” conversion task by:
- Save session and create .bat (Windows) or .sh (Linux/macOS) file for “JSON Lines to SQL Server” conversion.
- Set scheduled task for “JSON Lines to SQL Server” conversion.
FAQ
More tools for JSONL / NDJSON / LDJSON.
Download Withdata FileToDB
JSON Lines → SQL Server reference
Type mapping
| Value kind | in JSON Lines | in SQL Server |
|---|---|---|
| Int | 1234 (number) | int |
| Bigint | 9007199254740993 | bigint |
| Decimal | 1234.56 (number) | decimal(p,s) |
| Float | 1.234e10 (number) | float |
| Text | "text" (string) | nvarchar(n) |
| Long text | "multi-line\ntext" | nvarchar(max) |
| Date | "2026-09-18" (string) | date |
| Datetime | "2026-09-18T14:30:00Z" (string) | datetime2 |
| Binary | "base64:..." (string) | varbinary(max) |
| Boolean | true / false (boolean) | bit |
| JSON | nested object on the same line | nvarchar(max) |
Dialect differences
JSON Lines is a file format and SQL Server is a database server, so the target has to be told the types the file never carried - the rows below are where the two sides diverge.
| Property | in JSON Lines | in SQL Server |
|---|---|---|
| port | — | 1433 |
| identifiers | Double quotes; backslash escapes (a newline inside a string... | [square brackets] |
| row limit | — | SELECT TOP n |
| dates | No date type: dates arrive as strings | datetime, datetime2, date, time |
| long text | — | nvarchar(max) |
| binary | Not supported natively - base64 inside a string | varbinary(max) |
| separator | Newline between records | — |
| encoding | UTF-8 by definition | — |
| typing | Same as JSON, but records cannot nest across lines | — |
| shape | Flat stream | Tables of rows and columns |
| ceiling | Streams, so it scales past what a single JSON document can ... | — |
Command line
| Side | Command |
|---|---|
| SQL Server | bcp |
| SQL Server (load) | bcp, or BULK INSERT |
Convert your data online, free
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