Local Files

PondPilot allows you to analyze files stored on your local machine without uploading them to a server.

Supported Formats

Format	Extension	Description
Parquet	.parquet	Highly recommended. Fast, compressed, and supports partial reading.
CSV / TSV	.csv, .tsv	Standard text formats. Auto-detects delimiters.
JSON	.json	Supports newline-delimited JSON (.ndjson) and standard arrays.
Excel	.xlsx	Reads worksheets as tables.
DuckDB	.duckdb	Full DuckDB database files.

Adding Files

Drag and Drop

Simply drag files from your computer into the PondPilot window. They will appear in the Data Explorer sidebar.

File Picker

1. Press Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F).
2. Or click the + icon in the Data Explorer.
3. Select “Add Local File”.

Folder Access (Chrome/Edge)

In Chromium-based browsers, you can add an entire folder. This grants PondPilot permission to read any file in that directory, which persists across sessions.

1. Open Spotlight (Ctrl+K).
2. Choose “Add Folder”.
3. Select your data folder.

Querying Local Files

Once added, files act like tables.

-- Query a file by its name in the explorer
SELECT * FROM sales_data;

-- Join two local files
SELECT
    orders.id,
    customers.name
FROM orders
JOIN customers ON orders.customer_id = customers.id;

Persistence

PondPilot uses the File System Access API (on supported browsers) to retain access to your files.

• Reloading: When you refresh the page, your files remain available.
• Security: You must re-grant permission upon reload if the browser requires it (usually a simple prompt).
• Privacy: Files are read directly from your disk; no copy is made.

Firefox/Safari Users

These browsers do not fully support persistent file handles. You may need to re-add your files after refreshing the page.