Simon Willison: SQL Functions in Google Sheets to Fetch Live Data from Datasette

Simon Willison·low signal

Simon Willison published a TIL documenting three patterns for fetching live data from Datasette instances directly into Google Sheets: using the native importdata() function for public instances, custom named function wrappers for cleaner formulas, and Google Apps Script for authenticated API endpoints. The Apps Script pattern for auth-token APIs is the most transferable insight — connecting SQL-queryable APIs directly into the tool most non-technical users already live in.