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KairoDB v0.4.0
Human-readable databases.
Define database schemas in plain text. Compile them into real SQLite or PostgreSQL databases. Read any existing .db file and get a clean breakdown of every table, column, and row. No ORM. No bloat. Just your terminal and your data.
Read any database
Point kairo at any .db file or PostgreSQL connection string. Get a structured, readable breakdown of every table and its contents.
kairo read myapp.db
Schema in plain text
Define your tables in .kairo files. No SQL boilerplate, no config files. Write what you mean, apply it to your database.
kairo create users
Query from your shell
Run queries directly from the terminal. Use simplified syntax or standard SQL. Both work out of the box.
kairo query "from users"
Schema compilation
Write a .kairo file, run one command, and your database is ready. What you write is what you get.
schema/users.kairo
table users {
name: string
age: int
active: bool = true
}
table posts {
title: string
body: string
user_id: int [required]
}
terminal
# Apply schema
$ kairo create users
Schema applied to data/kairo.db
$ kairo tables
users (3 columns, 12 rows)
posts (3 columns, 45 rows)
$ kairo read data/kairo.db
table users {
id: int
name: string
age: int
active: bool
}Built for the terminal
KairoDB lives where you work. Open any terminal, type kairo, and you get a clean overview of every command available. No GUI needed. No browser. Just your keyboard and your data.
The interface is designed to be readable at a glance. Blue borders frame the output, commands are listed clearly, and everything fits in a single screen.
Works inside your editor
Run KairoDB directly from the VS Code integrated terminal. Write your .kairo schemas in one tab, apply them in another. Everything stays in one place.
No context switching. No separate database GUI. Your schema files, your code, and your database commands all live together in the same workspace.
SQLite and PostgreSQL
Since v0.4.0, the read and export commands work with both local SQLite files and remote PostgreSQL instances. Kairo figures out which one you mean based on the path you give it.
terminal
$ kairo read postgres://user:pass@localhost:5432/production
Connecting to PostgreSQL at localhost...
table orders {
id: int [required]
total: float [required]
created_at: timestamp
}
-- 14,230 rowsPerformance
KairoDB is a compiled Rust binary. It starts instantly and uses almost no memory compared to JavaScript-based alternatives.
Cold start
Memory usage
Works well with AI tools
Kairo schemas are compact, predictable, and easy for language models to read and generate. If you use AI coding assistants, Kairo makes their job easier.
Small token footprint
A .kairo schema uses a fraction of the tokens compared to raw SQL migrations. That means more room in the context window for your actual code.
Predictable output
The syntax is simple enough that LLMs generate correct schemas on the first try. No guessing at ORM imports or TypeScript decorators.
CLI-friendly automation
Commands like kairo create and kairo read are straightforward for AI agents to call in automated workflows.
Why KairoDB
No setup overhead
No Docker, no heavy database servers for local work. Create and inspect databases instantly with SQLite, or connect to a remote PostgreSQL when you need to.
Single binary
Written in Rust. Ships as one executable. Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux without installing Rust or any other runtime.
Plain text everything
Schemas, queries, and database output are all human-readable text. No need for a GUI database browser to understand what is in your data.
Get started
1
Download the binary
Grab the latest release for your OS from GitHub Releases. No Rust required.
2
Initialize a project
kairo init
3
Write a schema and apply it
kairo create users