How to Import CSV in DBeaver

Before you import: the file and the target table

A DBeaver import CSV job needs a connection to the target database (see our guides for PostgreSQL and MySQL) and a CSV file with a consistent delimiter and, ideally, a header row. You can import into an existing table, or let DBeaver create a new one during mapping. Creating the table yourself first gives you control over data types and keys.

The sample below is a small file you can save as customers.csv to practise, with a matching table definition. The dates use the ISO format yyyy-MM-dd, and the empty email on the third row shows how NULL handling works.

customer_id,full_name,email,signup_date
1,Ada Lovelace,ada@example.com,2026-01-15
2,"Grace Hopper, Rear Admiral",grace@example.com,2026-02-03
3,Edgar Codd,,2026-03-21

CREATE TABLE customers (
    customer_id  INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
    full_name    VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
    email        VARCHAR(255),
    signup_date  DATE
);

Import a CSV file with the DBeaver Import Data wizard

These are the steps from DBeaver's Data import documentation:

1. In the Connections view, right-click the target table (you can select several) and choose Import Data.
2. Choose CSV and select Next.
3. Choose the file to import, check the importer settings (next section) and select Next.
4. Set the CSV-to-table mappings: check that each source column points at the right target column and type.
5. Choose the data load settings and select Next.
6. Review the summary; use Back to fix anything, then select Proceed. Save turns the configuration into a reusable task.

The import runs in the background, and DBeaver shows a notification when it completes. DBeaver advises against changing data in the tables involved until the transfer finishes.

CSV importer settings that matter

The importer settings page decides how DBeaver parses the file. The defaults suit a comma-separated UTF-8 file with a header row; change them when your file differs.

Column mapping and data load options

On the mapping page, each target shows a state. DBeaver's mapping guide describes them: Existing when the target name matches a table, Create when it does not (DBeaver creates the table during the transfer), Skip to leave a table out, and Recreate, which drops and recreates the target and can lose existing data, keys and indexes. Check the target data types before you continue; types supported in one database may not exist in another.

Useful data load settings include:

• Truncate target table(s) before load: clears the table first; DBeaver's documentation tells you to be very careful with it.
• Replace method: for duplicate keys, some databases offer options such as INSERT IGNORE or REPLACE INTO, depending on what the target supports.
• Use transactions and Do Commit after row insert: control how often rows are committed.
• Disable batches: imports row by row; slower, but shows every import error.
• Use bulk load: uses the database's native bulk mechanism where the target supports it, for large files.

When a DBeaver CSV import fails

• Everything lands in one column: the delimiter is wrong. Files exported from spreadsheets in some locales use semicolons.
• Date parse errors: the date/time format does not match the file. DBeaver's documentation warns about confusing MM (month) with mm (minutes).
• Garbled accented characters: set the correct encoding.
• Duplicate key errors: choose a replace method, or clean the file; turn on Disable batches to see which rows fail.
• First data row missing or header imported as data: check Header position.

If you only need to query a CSV file, not load it, DBeaver also has file drivers that open CSV files as read-only tables. The full CSV Pro driver is part of the paid editions; DBeaver documents a simpler legacy CSV driver in Community. To move data the other way, see exporting query results to CSV or Excel.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• DBeaver docs: Data import
• DBeaver docs: Data transfer
• DBeaver docs: Data migration (mapping and load settings)
• DBeaver docs: Data import and replace
• DBeaver docs: CSV driver

Checked 8 October 2026.

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