# How to Export Data from Dolt: Complete Guide to Table and Schema Export > Learn how to export data from Dolt. Use `dolt table export` for data and `dolt schema export` for DDL with this complete guide. - Repository: [DoltHub/dolt](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-03-14 --- **Dolt provides two primary CLI commands for exporting data: `dolt table export` for row data (CSV, JSON, Parquet, etc.) and `dolt schema export` for DDL statements, both leveraging a pluggable mvdata pipeline architecture.** Dolt is a version-controlled SQL database that combines Git-like versioning with MySQL-compatible tables. When you need to extract data from a `dolthub/dolt` repository for analysis, migration, or backup purposes, the CLI offers robust export capabilities backed by a sophisticated data movement pipeline written in Go. This guide explains how to export both table rows and schema definitions using the official source code as reference. ## Dolt Export CLI Commands Overview Dolt separates data export into two distinct commands based on what you need to extract: - **`dolt table export`** – Exports the **rows** of a table to various formats including CSV, PSV, JSON, JSONL, SQL, and Parquet - **`dolt schema export`** – Exports the **DDL** (CREATE TABLE statements) for one or all tables Both commands share a common architecture built on Dolt’s **mvdata** (move-data) package, providing consistent argument parsing, format detection, and streaming data movement. ## How `dolt table export` Works The `dolt table export` command, implemented in [`go/cmd/dolt/commands/tblcmds/export.go`](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt/blob/main/go/cmd/dolt/commands/tblcmds/export.go), follows a pipeline architecture that streams data from the Dolt storage engine to your chosen destination. ### Command Syntax and Flags The basic syntax follows this pattern: ```bash dolt table export [-f] [--file-type ] ``` Key parameters include: - **`-f`** – Force overwrite of existing files (skips the `checkOverwrite` validation) - **`--file-type`** – Explicitly set the format when the file extension is ambiguous - **`
`** – The source table name in the current database - **``** – Destination path, or `-` for stdout streaming ### The Export Pipeline Architecture According to the source code in [`tblcmds/export.go`](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt/blob/main/tblcmds/export.go), the export process follows these steps: 1. **Argument parsing** – The command builds an `argparser.ArgParser` that validates flags such as `-f` and `--file-type` (lines 78‑86) 2. **Destination resolution** – The user-supplied path and optional `--file-type` are turned into a `mvdata.DataLocation` via `mvdata.NewDataLocation`. This object determines the output format and whether the destination is a regular file or a stream (lines 98‑108) 3. **Overwrite protection** – If `-f` is omitted, `exportOptions.checkOverwrite` verifies whether the destination exists and aborts with an error (lines 65‑73) 4. **SQL engine setup** – A temporary SQL engine (`engine.NewSqlEngineForEnv`) initializes to read the table’s rows (lines 92‑104) 5. **Reader creation** – `mvdata.NewSqlEngineReader` builds a row reader that streams rows from the selected table (line 22) 6. **Writer creation** – `exportOptions.dest.NewCreatingWriter` produces a format-specific writer backed by either a file handle or `os.Stdout` (lines 66‑72) 7. **Data movement** – `mvdata.NewDataMoverPipeline` wires the reader and writer together; calling `pipeline.Execute()` streams the data from source to destination (lines 32‑35) This architecture supports **pluggable output formats** including CSV, PSV, JSON, JSONL, SQL, and Parquet. ## How `dolt schema export` Works The `dolt schema export` command, implemented in [`go/cmd/dolt/commands/schcmds/export.go`](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt/blob/main/go/cmd/dolt/commands/schcmds/export.go), extracts DDL rather than row data. When you run this command, Dolt iterates over the specified tables (or all non-system tables via `doltdb.GetNonSystemTableNames`) and constructs `CREATE TABLE` statements using `dsqle.GetCreateTableStmt`. The resulting DDL is written sequentially to the specified file path or stdout. Key implementation details from [`schcmds/export.go`](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt/blob/main/schcmds/export.go) include: - Argument parsing occurs at lines 65‑70 - Schema extraction logic at lines 92‑55 - Supports both single-table and full-database export modes ## Practical Export Examples ### Exporting Table Data to CSV Export the "users" table to a CSV file (format inferred from extension): ```bash dolt table export users users.csv ``` Under the hood, this creates a `DataLocation` with format `CsvFile`, builds a SQL reader for the `users` table, and streams rows to the file. ### Exporting to JSON Lines with Force Overwrite Export the "orders" table to JSONL format, overwriting if the file exists: ```bash dolt table export -f --file-type jsonl orders orders.jsonl ``` The `-f` flag bypasses the overwrite check, while `--file-type jsonl` forces the format when the extension might be ambiguous. ### Streaming to Standard Output Export data directly to stdout for piping into other tools: ```bash dolt table export -f mytable - ``` When the destination is `-`, the command creates a `mvdata.StreamDataLocation` that writes CSV (default) directly to `stdout`. Note that only CSV and PSV formats support streaming. ### Exporting Schema DDL Generate the CREATE TABLE statement for a specific table: ```bash dolt schema export products products_schema.sql ``` This calls `dsqle.GetCreateTableStmt` for the "products" table and writes the DDL to the specified file. ### Exporting All Schemas Export DDL for all non-system tables in the database: ```bash dolt schema export all_schemas.sql ``` With no table argument provided, Dolt iterates over all tables and writes each `CREATE TABLE` statement sequentially. ### Exporting to Parquet Format Export table data to Apache Parquet (experimental support): ```bash dolt table export --file-type parquet mytable mytable.parquet ``` The mvdata pipeline recognizes Parquet as a valid format type and instantiates the appropriate writer via `NewCreatingWriter`. ## Key Implementation Files Understanding these source files helps when building custom tools or debugging export behavior: - **[`go/cmd/dolt/commands/tblcmds/export.go`](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt/blob/main/go/cmd/dolt/commands/tblcmds/export.go)** – Implements `dolt table export` including argument parsing, destination handling, and pipeline orchestration (lines 78‑108, 32‑35) - **[`go/cmd/dolt/commands/schcmds/export.go`](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt/blob/main/go/cmd/dolt/commands/schcmds/export.go)** – Implements `dolt schema export` for DDL extraction (lines 65‑70, 92‑55) - **[`go/libraries/doltcore/mvdata/data_loc.go`](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt/blob/main/go/libraries/doltcore/mvdata/data_loc.go)** – Defines `DataLocation`, format inference logic, and writer factories used by both export commands - **[`go/libraries/doltcore/mvdata/data_loc_test.go`](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt/blob/main/go/libraries/doltcore/mvdata/data_loc_test.go)** – Unit tests illustrating supported formats (`csv`, `psv`, `json`, `jsonl`, `parquet`) ## Summary - Dolt provides **two export commands**: `dolt table export` for row data and `dolt schema export` for DDL - The **mvdata package** provides a unified pipeline architecture using `DataLocation`, `NewSqlEngineReader`, and `NewDataMoverPipeline` - Supported export formats include **CSV, PSV, JSON, JSONL, SQL, and Parquet** - Use the **`-f` flag** to force overwrite existing files - Export to **stdout** using `-` as the destination (CSV and PSV only) - Schema export uses **`dsqle.GetCreateTableStmt`** to generate standard SQL DDL ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Does Dolt support exporting to Parquet format? Yes, Dolt supports Apache Parquet export via `dolt table export --file-type parquet
`. The mvdata pipeline in [`go/libraries/doltcore/mvdata/data_loc.go`](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt/blob/main/go/libraries/doltcore/mvdata/data_loc.go) recognizes Parquet as a valid format type and instantiates the appropriate binary writer. This feature is marked as experimental in current versions. ### Can I export Dolt data to standard output for piping? Yes, specify `-` as the destination file to stream output to stdout: `dolt table export mytable -`. Only CSV and PSV formats support streaming via `mvdata.StreamDataLocation`. This is useful for piping data directly into other command-line tools without creating intermediate files. ### What is the difference between `dolt table export` and `dolt schema export`? `dolt table export` extracts the actual row data from tables into formats like CSV or JSON, while `dolt schema export` extracts only the DDL (CREATE TABLE statements) defining the table structures. The former uses `mvdata.NewSqlEngineReader` to stream rows, whereas the latter calls `dsqle.GetCreateTableStmt` to generate SQL definitions. ### How do I force overwrite an existing export file? Add the `-f` or `--force` flag to your export command. Without this flag, the `exportOptions.checkOverwrite` function in [`tblcmds/export.go`](https://github.com/dolthub/dolt/blob/main/tblcmds/export.go) (lines 65‑73) checks if the destination file exists and aborts with an error to prevent accidental data loss. The `-f` flag bypasses this safety check.