---
id: cqlsh
version: "6.2.2"
license: unclear
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# cqlsh — cqlsh is a Python-based command-line client for running CQL commands on a cassandra cluster.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 170.9K/mo

## What it is and what it does

cqlsh is a Python-based command-line interface for Cassandra clusters, extracted from the Apache Cassandra project and repackaged as a standalone PyPI module. Normally it ships as part of a full Cassandra installation; this package lets you install just the client without the server, reducing download and disk footprint. It depends on cassandra-driver for cluster communication, pure-sasl for authentication, and wcwidth for terminal formatting.

You run it as a shell command (cqlsh) to connect to a Cassandra cluster and execute CQL queries interactively. The package tracks Cassandra releases—version 6.2.2 packages cqlsh 6.2.0 from Cassandra 5.0.5—and includes features like command history, replica information display, and role autocompletion. It requires Python 3.10 or later.

Use it for:

- Connect to a Cassandra cluster from a development machine or CI/CD pipeline without installing the full Cassandra server.
- Run ad-hoc CQL queries and schema inspections against a remote Cassandra cluster from the command line.
- Automate Cassandra database operations (backups, schema changes, data queries) in scripts that invoke cqlsh as a subprocess.
- Troubleshoot and debug Cassandra cluster issues by interactively querying the database and inspecting cluster state.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

cqlsh is a command-line client for executing CQL queries against Cassandra clusters, packaged as a standalone Python module instead of requiring a full Cassandra installation.

Yes, if you need to query Cassandra clusters and want to avoid installing the full Cassandra server. The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, supports modern Python versions, and carries a permissive license. Install it when you need a lightweight Cassandra client for development, operations, or automation.

## Install

pip install cqlsh
uv add cqlsh
poetry add cqlsh

## Installing cqlsh

Before you install: Low install friction with a pure Python wheel. The package is actively maintained with a recent release (120 days ago) and supports current Python versions (3.10–3.14). Three runtime dependencies (cassandra-driver, pure-sasl, wcwidth) are standard and well-established.

License in practice: Licensed under the Apache License (permissive treatment), which permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions—typical for Apache Cassandra tooling.

Quickstart:

pip install cqlsh
cqlsh --help
# or connect to a running Cassandra cluster:
cqlsh 127.0.0.1 9042

Requires a running Cassandra cluster accessible at the specified host and port; cassandra-driver will fail to connect if the cluster is unavailable.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package works as a library (importable module) or only as a command-line tool—the description mentions module packaging but does not detail the API surface.

## Package facts

- License: not declared (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 170.9K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

cassandra command line client, cql query shell, cassandra cqlsh tool, cassandra database cli, cql interactive shell, cassandra cluster query client, cassandra, cli-tool, database-client

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/cqlsh) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/cqlsh/)