Overview

SQLFluff checks SQL for style and syntax issues, helping teams keep code reviews focused on behavior rather than formatting. It parses SQL without connecting to a database, which makes it useful for routine checks in environments where a database is not part of every developer’s workflow.

The project is released under the MIT License and costs 0.00 USD per free. It is not a database testing tool: its job is to lint SQL and fix many violations, not to validate query results.

Key features

Broad dialect and rule coverage

SQLFluff supports more than 25 dialects, including T-SQL, PostgreSQL, BigQuery, and Snowflake, and documents more than 70 rules for style, structure, and best practices. That range makes it a practical fit for teams working across engines or standardizing SQL conventions, while the availability of custom rules gives teams room to adapt checks to their own standards.

Automated fixes and CI

A single command can automatically fix many linting violations, reducing the manual work of applying consistent style changes. SQLFluff also supports CI/CD and GitHub Actions output with pull-request annotations, so teams can surface issues where code review happens. Autofix is not a substitute for reviewing changes, but it can take routine formatting corrections out of the review queue.

Templating and dbt

SQLFluff supports Jinja and dbt, making it relevant to templated ELT projects. The dbt templater requires the relevant dbt adapter and the sqlfluff-templater-dbt package. Models that access a database at compile time also need database access, a meaningful operational cost for teams seeking a fully self-contained linting step.

SQLFluff does not execute SQL itself, but templating macros such as dbt’s run_query can execute arbitrary SQL. Its Jinja templater uses Jinja2 SandboxedEnvironment to limit unsafe code execution; teams should still account for what their macros do.

Pricing

SQLFluff costs 0.00 USD per free under the SQLFluff plan. The plan is an open-source SQL linter released under the MIT License, and the project offers a free plan rather than a paid tier. There is no free trial because no paid plan is presented; teams can use it without a subscription commitment.

Platforms

SQLFluff supports API, Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted use. The project directs users to install it from PyPI with pip or another Python package manager, which suits teams comfortable adding a Python tool to their development or CI environment.

Who it's for

SQLFluff is a strong choice for data and analytics engineering teams that work across SQL dialects, use ELT or dbt, and want linting integrated into code review. It is less compelling for teams that need database-level validation rather than static linting, or for dbt projects whose compile-time models require database access that CI cannot readily provide.

Community support is available through documentation, GitHub, Slack, and Stack Overflow. SQLFluff Ltd. is incorporated in England and gives a registered address in Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds.

Pros and cons

Pros: More than 25 dialects and more than 70 rules give teams substantial coverage across SQL styles and engines.
Pros: Automated fixes and GitHub Actions annotations help reduce repetitive review work and expose issues in pull requests.
Pros: The MIT-licensed plan is free, and custom rules let teams shape linting to local conventions.
Cons: dbt templating needs an adapter and a separate package; compile-time database access can complicate CI.
Cons: Macros may execute arbitrary SQL, so teams need to consider macro behavior despite the sandbox used by the Jinja templater.

Alternatives

For JavaScript linting rather than SQL, ESLint is a free, open-source option. Stylelint is another free linter, suited to teams working on stylesheets rather than SQL.

Cppcheck offers a free core static-analysis plan and a project plan with custom pricing. PMD is a free downloadable static code analyzer. Astral offers free, open-source tools including Ruff, uv, and ty; Biome is an open-source toolchain for web projects. detekt is a free Kotlin static-analysis tool, while Flake8 is a free open-source Python command-line tool.

Browse more options in SQL Linters and Formatters, the broader Linters directory, or Database Testing Tools if you need a different kind of database workflow tool.

Verdict

Choose SQLFluff if your team needs free, dialect-flexible SQL linting with automated fixes and a path into CI. Its breadth and custom rules make it a capable fit for varied ELT stacks; look elsewhere if your priority is database testing or if dbt’s adapter and compile-time database requirements make linting difficult to run reliably.

	golangci-lint	SQLFluff
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	Free	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Linux, macOS, self-hosted, Windows	api, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, Windows
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Languages supported	1	28
Autofix	Yes	Yes
Custom rules	Yes	Yes
Security rules	Yes	—
IDE support	ide	—
CI support	Yes	Yes

golangci-lint vs SQLFluff

golangci-lint

SQLFluff