SQLite databases often appear in app backups, logs, IoT devices, and mobile applications. When the schema is unfamiliar, simply locating the data you care about can take longer than opening the file itself.
SQLite Explorer can start from a known value with database-wide search, then move from matching cells and records into surrounding data. This guide shows a read-only workflow for checking structure, content, and database health without modifying the source file.
Start with Overview and database-wide search
Use Overview first to check tables, views, indexes, rows, and table sizes. Primary-key and foreign-key information also provides clues about which tables are central to the database.
Even when table names are unknown, a known username, ID, URL, or product code can be searched across the database. Searching text and numeric columns for matches is often faster than opening tables one by one.
- Tables / Views / Indexes / Rows
- Per-table row/column counts and PK/FK information
- Database-wide search
Read values with Data Explorer and Smart Cell Inspector
Data Explorer pages through records in groups of 100 and supports row filtering, column sorting, visibility controls, and resizable columns. Narrowing the view to relevant rows and columns makes large tables easier to understand.
Smart Cell Inspector can identify JSON, date/time values, URLs, UUIDs, Base64 candidates, BLOBs, and more. Supported PNG, JPEG, GIF, and WebP BLOBs may be previewed directly. Treat automatic detection as a clue and confirm meaning from schema and surrounding records.
Trace related data from a single record
After locating a useful record, Record Relationships can navigate toward referenced or referencing data. Exploration can use both SQLite-defined foreign keys and inferred candidates based on column names, types, and sample values.
The ER diagram distinguishes defined foreign keys from inferred relationships, and Focus Mode narrows the view to tables directly related to the selected one. Inferred links are not proof of business semantics, so verify important conclusions with DDL and actual values.
Go deeper with Database Health and read-only SQL
Database Health combines structural review signals such as missing primary keys or potentially unindexed foreign-key columns with PRAGMA quick_check and foreign_key_check. It is a set of investigation prompts rather than a universal quality score.
For deeper filtering or aggregation, use SELECT, WITH, EXPLAIN, and allowlisted read-only PRAGMAs. Normal SELECT/WITH queries can also show EXPLAIN QUERY PLAN, and required results can be exported as CSV or JSON. Write SQL and write-back to the source file remain blocked.
Step by step
- Open a .db, .sqlite, or .sqlite3 file in SQLite Explorer.
- Review table sizes and the Database Health summary in Overview.
- If you know a value to look for, use database-wide search to locate the relevant table and record.
- Use Data Explorer and Smart Cell Inspector to inspect rows, columns, and cell contents, then follow Record Relationships when useful.
- Review the ER diagram / Focus Mode, column profiles, and Database Health; use read-only SQL and query plans for deeper investigation.
- Export only the required table or query results as CSV/JSON.
SQLite Explorer
Search across SQLite databases and inspect record relationships, cell contents, database health, and read-only SQL in the browser.
Tips and limitations
- For an unfamiliar schema, searching a known value across the database can be faster than guessing table names.
- Smart Cell Inspector and inferred relationships are hints; verify important conclusions with DDL and actual data.
- On very large databases, database-wide search and profiling can take time, so narrow the scope with table filtering or SQL once you know where to look.
Frequently asked questions
Can I edit the SQLite file?
SQLite Explorer v1.1.0 is read-only. Write operations such as INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, and CREATE are blocked, and changes are not written back to the source file.
Can I search without knowing the table name?
Yes. Database-wide search can find values across text and numeric columns and take you to matching tables and records.
Can Database Health certify that a database is healthy?
No. It combines quick_check, foreign_key_check, and structural review signals to support investigation. Interpret the results in the context of the database design and purpose.
Is the database uploaded to a server?
No. SQLite files selected in SQLite Explorer are read, searched, and analyzed in the browser and are not uploaded to a Browser Kitty backend.