Read time: ~6 minutes · Series: Platform Admin practice · Previous: Divide of labor · Next: Workspace and data folder
Why connect instead of importing into Lantide
Lantide uses DuckDB ATTACH to mount external databases so analysts can JOIN local files and remote tables in SQL without importing whole databases locally. You provision connections and permissions.
Supported sources and flow
All supported sources are fully available: PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, Additional folder, Cloud folder, and SQL Server / Azure SQL. The product does not impose a limit on active external database connections.
- Sidebar Data → Connections
- Choose type; fill host / port / database / credentials and alias (SQL prefix)
- Test Connection → Connect on success
- Data section shows
alias → schema → tabletree
SQL Server / Azure SQL requires Microsoft ODBC Driver 18 and uses a read-only staged flow. Cloud folders support providers such as S3, OSS, and ADLS Gen2. Steps and options: USER_GUIDE §4.5.
Reference format (for analysts)
-- PostgreSQL example
SELECT * FROM pg_db.public.orders LIMIT 10;
-- Cross-source JOIN example
SELECT o.order_id, l.name
FROM sdb.main.orders o
JOIN "local.csv" l ON o.customer_id = l.customer_id;
Alias naming: short, unique, team-readable (e.g. pg_warehouse) so SQL stays clear.
Limits and troubleshooting
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Connection count | No product-imposed active-database limit; capacity still depends on local resources and source-side limits |
| Connection errors | Yellow warning on Connections button; check network, firewall, credentials |
| After disconnect | External tables may disappear from sidebar; reconnect then Data Refresh |
| Passwords | Not bundled in .lantide export; re-enter after import |
One thing to do now
Create a test connection with a read-only account; after Test succeeds ask analyst to SELECT 100 rows from sidebar to verify permissions.