Running HogQL Queries on Your iPhone: A Practical Guide

SQL on a phone? Really?

We get it. Writing SQL on a 6-inch screen sounds like a terrible idea. But we spent weeks getting the mobile HogQL experience right, and the result is surprisingly productive.

The key insight: most mobile HogQL queries aren't 50-line JOINs. They're quick lookups — "how many signups today?", "what's the top event this week?", "show me users who hit this error." Short queries, immediate answers.

Getting started

Open HogPocket, tap the HogQL tab, and you'll see the query editor. A few things that make it work on mobile:

Syntax highlighting

The editor highlights HogQL keywords, strings, and numbers so you can parse your query at a glance. No more getting lost in a wall of monospace text.

Quick snippets

Tap the snippets button to insert common query patterns:

SELECT event, count() FROM events GROUP BY event ORDER BY count() DESC LIMIT 10

SELECT properties.$current_url, count() FROM events WHERE event = '$pageview' GROUP BY 1 ORDER BY 2 DESC

SELECT person_id, count() FROM events WHERE timestamp > now() - INTERVAL 1 DAY GROUP BY 1 ORDER BY 2 DESC LIMIT 20

Results table

Results render in a scrollable table with sticky headers. Swipe horizontally to see more columns. Tap a row to copy its values.

Tips for mobile HogQL

Keep queries short — If you need a complex query, write it on desktop and save it as a view. Then access the view from mobile.

Use LIMIT — Always add a LIMIT clause. Loading 10,000 rows on mobile is slow and pointless.

Save frequently used queries — Tap "Save as View" to bookmark queries you run often.

Use the date picker — Instead of typing WHERE timestamp > now() - INTERVAL 7 DAY, use the date filter above the editor.

Example workflows

Morning metrics check


SELECT
countIf(event = '$pageview') as pageviews,
countIf(event = 'sign_up') as signups,
countIf(event = 'purchase') as purchases
FROM events
WHERE timestamp > today()

Debugging a specific user


SELECT event, timestamp, properties.$current_url
FROM events
WHERE person_id = 'user_abc123'
AND timestamp > now() - INTERVAL 1 HOUR
ORDER BY timestamp DESC
LIMIT 50

Quick funnel check


SELECT
countIf(event = 'page_view') as step1,
countIf(event = 'sign_up') as step2,
countIf(event = 'activate') as step3
FROM events
WHERE timestamp > now() - INTERVAL 7 DAY

HogQL on mobile isn't about replacing your desktop workflow. It's about having a quick escape hatch when you need an answer and your laptop isn't nearby.