Command Line Interface#

The Presto CLI is a terminal-based interactive shell for running queries, and is a self-executing JAR file that acts like a normal UNIX executable.

Install the Presto CLI#

Download presto-cli-0.286-executable.jar.

Rename the JAR file to presto with the following command:

Use chmod +x to make the renamed file executable:

chmod +x presto

Run the Presto CLI#

Start the Presto CLI using the name you gave it using the mv command:

./presto

The Presto CLI starts and displays the prompt presto>.

To exit the Presto CLI, enter quit.

Run the CLI with the --help option to see the available options.

./presto –help

Connect to a Presto server using the Presto CLI#

To connect to a Presto server, run the CLI with the --server option.

./presto –server localhost:8080 –catalog hive –schema default

localhost:8080 is the default for a Presto server, so if you have a Presto server running locally you can leave it off.

To connect to a remote Presto server, use the Presto endpoint URL as in the following example command

./presto –server http://www.example.net:8080

The Presto CLI paginates query results using the less program, which is configured with preset options. To change the pagination of query results, set the environment variable PRESTO_PAGER to the name of a different program such as more, or set it to an empty value to disable pagination.

The Presto engine and client communicate over HTTP using a REST API, documented at Presto Client REST API.