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attach-db

Attach a DuckDB database file for use with /duckdb-skills:query.

Skill by duckdb

IndexedMIT★ 610
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Works with Claude Code, Claude apps, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, VS Code, OpenCode, Goose, Windsurf. Read the repository before you give any tool access to your data.

npx agentmarket install skill/duckdb-attach-db

Asks which of your tools to add it to (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Gemini CLI, Claude Desktop) and shows the change first. See https://agentmart.dev/cli.

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About

Attach a DuckDB database file for use with /duckdb-skills:query. Explores the schema (tables, columns, row counts) and writes a SQL state file so subsequent queries can restore this session automatically via duckdb -init.

Use cases: backend

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Permissions

What this skill can do and what it asks for, from its SKILL.md. Checked Oct 25, 2026.

Tools
No tools found
Secrets
None asked for
Install scripts
None found

Network hosts it talks to 1

  • codeload.github.com · found in install command

Files it touches

  • ~/.claude/skills/attach-db

Tools it pre-approves 1

From allowed-tools in SKILL.md: the agent may use these without asking you each time.

  • Bash

What's inside

Skill name
attach-db
Description
Attach a DuckDB database file for use with /duckdb-skills:query. Explores the schema (tables, columns, row counts) and writes a SQL state file so subsequent queries can restore this session automatically via duckdb -init.
License
MIT
Allowed tools
Bash
Instructions
150 lines in SKILL.md · view on GitHub

Before installing

  • Pre-approves any shell command

Files (1)

  • SKILL.md

SKILL.md (first lines)

You are helping the user attach a DuckDB database file for interactive querying.

Database path given: `$0`

Follow these steps in order, stopping and reporting clearly if any step fails.

**State file convention**: see the "Resolve state directory" section below. All skills share a single `state.sql` file per project. Once resolved, any skill can use it with `duckdb -init "$STATE_DIR/state.sql" -c "<QUERY>"`.

## Step 1 — Resolve the database path

If `$0` is a relative path, resolve it against `$PWD` to get an absolute path (`RESOLVED_PATH`).

```bash
RESOLVED_PATH="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" 2>/dev/null && pwd)/$(basename "$0")"
```

Check the file exists:

```bash
test -f "$RESOLVED_PATH"
```

- **File exists** -> continue to Step 2.
- **File not found** -> ask the user if they want to create a new empty database (DuckDB creates the file on first write). If yes, continue. If no, stop.

## Step 2 — Check DuckDB is installed

```bash
command -v duckdb
```

If not found, delegate to `/duckdb-skills:install-duckdb` and then continue.

## Step 3 — Validate the database

```bash
duckdb "$RESOLVED_PATH" -c "PRAGMA version;"
```

- **Success** -> continue.
- **Failure** -> report the error clearly (e.g. corrupt file, not a DuckDB database) and stop.

## Step 4 — Explore the schema

First, list all tables:

```bash
duckdb "$RESOLVED_PATH" -csv -c "
SELECT table_name, estimated_size
FROM duckdb_tables()
ORDER BY table_name;
"
```

If the database has **no tables**, note that it is empty and skip to Step 5.

For each table discovered (up to 20), run:

```bash
duckdb "$RESOLVED_PATH" -csv -c "
DESCRIBE <table_name>;
SELECT count() AS row_count FROM <table_name>;
"
```

Collect the column definitions and row counts for the summary.

## Step 5 — Resolve the state directory

Check if a state file already exists in either location:

```bash
# Option 1: in the project directory
test -f .duckdb-skills/state.sql && STATE_DIR=".duckdb-skills"

# Option 2: in the home directory, scoped by project root path
PROJECT_ROOT="$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null || echo "$PWD")"
PROJECT_ID="$(echo "$PROJECT_ROOT" | tr '/' '-')"
test -f "$HOME/.duckdb-skills/$PROJECT_ID/state.sql" && STATE_DIR="$HOME/.duckdb-skills/$PROJECT_ID"
```

If **neither exists**, ask the user:

> Where would you like to store the DuckDB session state for this project?
>
> 1. **In the project directory** (`.duckdb-skills/state.sql`) — colocated with the project, easy to find. You can choose to gitignore it.
> 2. **In your home directory** (`~/.duckdb-skills/<project-id>/state.sql`) — keeps the project directory clean.

Based on their choice:

**Option 1:**
```bash
STATE_DIR=".duckdb-skills"
mkdir -p "$STATE_DIR"
```
Then ask: *"Would you like to gitignore `.duckdb-skills/`?"* If yes:
```bash
echo '.duckdb-skills/' >> .gitignore
```

**Option 2:**
```bash
PROJECT_ROOT="$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null || echo "$PWD")"
PROJECT_ID="$(echo "$PROJECT_ROOT" | tr '/' '-')"
STATE_DIR="$HOME/.duckdb-skills/$PROJECT_ID"
mkdir -p "$STATE_DIR"
```

## Step 6 — Append to the state file

`state.sql` is a shared, accumulative init file used by all duckdb-skills. It may already contain macros, LOAD statements, secrets, or other ATTACH statements written by other skills. **Never overwrite it** — always check for duplicates and append.

Derive the database alias from the filename without extension (e.g. `my_data.duckdb` → `my_data`). Check if this ATTACH already exists:

```bash
grep -q "ATTACH.*RESOLVED_PATH" "$STATE_DIR/state.sql" 2>/dev/null
```

If not already present, append:

From duckdb/duckdb-skills, MIT.

Signals

Stars
610
Forks
37
Open issues
4
Last commit (this folder)
Mar 19, 2026 (7 months ago)

From GitHub (fetched Oct 24, 2026).

Details

License
MIT
First seen
Oct 24, 2026
Last checked
Oct 24, 2026

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Cite this page

attach-db skill. Agent Mart. https://agentmart.dev/skills/duckdb-attach-db (last updated 2026-10-24)