standalone compiler

dodoc

compile .do files to SQL. no DuckDB required.

Compile .do files to SQL without installing DuckDB. A single binary, no dependencies, designed for CI/CD pipelines and SQL preview workflows.

what is dodoc?

dodoc is a standalone CLI that reads .do files and outputs the equivalent SQL — the same translation the dodo DuckDB extension performs, but without needing DuckDB at all.

It shares the same core parser as the extension, so every command the extension understands, dodoc understands too.

why use it?

installation

install script (macOS / Linux)

The fastest way — detects your platform and downloads the right binary:

› curl -fsSL https://getdodo.dev/install.sh | sh

Installs to /usr/local/bin (or ~/.local/bin if no sudo). Works on macOS (arm64 & x86_64) and Linux (x86_64 & arm64).

homebrew (macOS / Linux)

› brew install codedthinking/tap/dodoc

download pre-built binaries

Pre-built binaries are available on the GitHub Releases page for five platforms:

After downloading, extract and install:

› tar xzf dodoc-macos-arm64.tar.gz
› sudo install dodoc /usr/local/bin/

build from source

Requires git, make, and a C++17 compiler.

› git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/codedthinking/dodo.git
› cd dodo
› make dodoc
› sudo make dodoc-install

This installs the dodoc binary to /usr/local/bin/.

verify

› dodoc --help

usage

Read from stdin or file, output SQL to stdout or file. Pipe into DuckDB or save for later.

stdin to stdout

Pipe .do commands directly:

› echo 'use "data.csv", clear
keep if year >= 2020
generate profit = revenue - cost' | dodoc

compile a file

Pass the .do file as an argument:

› dodoc analysis/clean.do

Write to a file with -o:

› dodoc analysis/clean.do -o analysis/clean.sql

what the output looks like

Each .do command becomes a CTE, chained in order, with the original command as a comment. This four-line script:

use "data.csv", clear
keep if year >= 2020
generate profit = revenue - cost
collapse (mean) profit, by(industry)

compiles to:

WITH
  -- [source] use "data.csv", clear
  _s0 AS (
    SELECT *
    FROM read_csv('data.csv')
  ),
  -- [source] keep if year >= 2020
  _s1 AS (
    SELECT *
    FROM _s0
    WHERE year >= 2020
  ),
  -- [source] generate profit = revenue - cost
  _s2 AS (
    SELECT *, (revenue - cost) AS profit
    FROM _s1
  ),
  -- [source] collapse (mean) profit, by(industry)
  _s3 AS (
    SELECT industry, AVG(profit) AS profit
    FROM _s2
    GROUP BY industry
  )
SELECT *
FROM _s3;

working with .dta files

When the script reads or writes Stata .dta files, the generated SQL uses DuckDB's .dta reader and writer:

use "panel.dta", clear
save "out.dta", replace

WITH
  -- [source] use "panel.dta", clear
  _s0 AS (
    SELECT *
    FROM read_dta('panel.dta')
  )
...
COPY (...) TO 'out.dta';

annotated output

The --annotate flag adds the original .do command as a SQL comment above each translated statement, making the output easier to read and debug:

› dodoc --annotate analysis/clean.do

piping to duckdb

The most common pattern: compile, then execute. Pipe dodoc output directly into DuckDB:

› dodoc script.do | duckdb

all flags