Troubleshooting

This guide helps you resolve common issues when using Duck-UI. If you encounter problems not covered here, please check our GitHub Issues.

Common Issues

WASM Loading

Problem: “Failed to load DuckDB WASM module”

Symptoms:

• Application loads but database doesn’t initialize
• Console shows WASM loading errors
• Blank screen or infinite loading

Solutions:

1. Check browser compatibility:

   Chrome/Edge: Version 88+
   Firefox: Version 79+
   Safari: Version 14+

2. Clear browser cache:

   • Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+Delete (Mac)
   • Select “Cached images and files”
   • Clear cache and reload

3. Disable browser extensions:

   • Ad blockers or security extensions may block WASM
   • Try in incognito/private mode
   • Disable extensions temporarily

4. Check network/CORS:

   • Ensure WASM files can be downloaded
   • Check browser console for network errors
   • If self-hosting, verify MIME types are configured

Problem: “WebAssembly compilation failed”

Solutions:

• Update your browser to the latest version
• Check if your browser has WebAssembly disabled
• Try a different browser

The app looks out of date

Duck-UI installs a service worker so it loads instantly and works offline. When a new version ships, the worker fetches it in the background, and an update button (an arrow in a circle) appears at the bottom of the left rail. Click it: your work is saved and the page reloads into the new version. Open tabs check for a new build every hour and each time you come back to them.

If the button never appears, the browser may be holding on to an old worker: close every Duck-UI tab and open the app again.

OPFS Storage

Problem: “OPFS not available in this browser”

Symptoms:

• Can’t create persistent databases
• OPFS option missing in connection dialog
• Error when trying to attach databases

Solutions:

1. Browser support:

   • Chrome/Edge 86+: Full support
   • Firefox: Experimental support (enable via flags)
   • Safari 15.2+: Limited support

2. Enable Firefox OPFS (if needed):

   1. Open about:config
   2. Search for: dom.fs.enabled
   3. Set to: true
   4. Restart browser

3. Check storage quota:

   • OPFS requires available storage
   • Check browser storage settings
   • Clear old data if needed

4. Use WASM mode instead:

   • WASM mode works without OPFS
   • Data doesn’t persist across sessions
   • Good for temporary analysis

Problem: “Quota exceeded” when saving to OPFS

Solutions:

• Clear browser storage: Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data
• Delete unused databases from OPFS
• Use external connection for large databases
• Export data before clearing

File Import

Problem: “Failed to import CSV file”

Symptoms:

• Import button doesn’t work
• Error message after selecting file
• Preview doesn’t load

Solutions:

1. Check file format:

   -- Test with simple query first
   SELECT * FROM read_csv('your_file.csv')
   LIMIT 10;

2. Adjust CSV options:

   • Enable “Ignore errors” for malformed data
   • Check delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab)
   • Verify “Has header row” setting
   • Try auto-detect types

3. File size limits:

   • Browser memory limits apply
   • Try sampling large files first
   • Use external DuckDB for huge datasets

4. Encoding issues:

   • Ensure file is UTF-8 encoded
   • Check for special characters
   • Try re-saving file with UTF-8 encoding

Problem: “URL import fails with CORS error”

Symptoms:

• Can’t import from URLs
• Console shows CORS policy error
• Works locally but fails from URL

Solutions:

1. CORS restrictions:

   • Server must allow cross-origin requests
   • Contact server admin to enable CORS
   • Use proxy service if needed

2. Alternative approaches:

   • Download file and import locally
   • Use curl/wget to fetch, then import
   • Host file on CORS-enabled server

3. Test with public datasets:

   -- Known working URL
   SELECT * FROM read_csv('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/...');

File System Access

Problem: “File System Access not supported”

Symptoms:

• “Files” section shows unsupported message
• Add Folder option missing or disabled
• Folder browser not appearing

Solutions:

1. Browser support:

   Chrome: 86+
   Edge: 86+
   Opera: 72+
   Firefox: Not supported
   Safari: Not supported

2. Use standard file import:

   • Click the Import data button in the explorer header, or drop files on the explorer
   • Select files individually
   • Works in all browsers

3. Update browser:

   • Ensure Chrome/Edge is version 86 or newer
   • Check for browser updates

Problem: “Permission denied” for mounted folder

Symptoms:

• Folder shows warning icon
• Can’t expand or browse folder contents
• “Permission denied” error

Solutions:

1. Re-grant permission:

   • Click on the folder with the warning icon
   • Browser will prompt for permission
   • Click “Allow” or “Grant” to continue

2. Page was reloaded:

   • Browser requires re-permission after reload (security feature)
   • This is normal behavior, not a bug
   • Click the folder to trigger the permission prompt

3. Remove and re-add:

   • Right-click folder > Unmount
   • Add the folder again
   • Grant fresh permissions

Problem: “Large folders are slow to load”

Solutions:

1. Mount specific subfolders:

   • Instead of mounting root directory
   • Add the specific data folder you need

2. Wait for initial load:

   • First load scans for supported files
   • Subsequent accesses are faster

3. Use fewer mounted folders:

   • Unmount folders you’re not using
   • Keep the sidebar clean

Duck Brain AI

Problem: “WebGPU Not Supported”

Symptoms:

• Can’t use the in-browser model
• Error message about WebGPU
• Duck Brain panel shows unsupported

Only the in-browser provider needs WebGPU. A local server (Ollama, LM Studio), OpenAI and Anthropic work without it.

Solutions:

1. Browser support:

   Chrome: 113+ (WebGPU required)
   Edge: 113+ (WebGPU required)
   Firefox: Not supported
   Safari: Not supported

2. Check WebGPU status:

   • Navigate to chrome://gpu
   • Look for “WebGPU” section
   • Should show “Hardware accelerated”

3. Enable WebGPU (if disabled):

   • Navigate to chrome://flags
   • Search for “WebGPU”
   • Enable and restart browser

4. Use another provider:

   • Go to Settings > AI
   • Point Duck Brain at a local Ollama or LM Studio, or add an OpenAI or Anthropic API key
   • These work in any browser

Problem: “Connection failed” with a local server

Symptoms:

• Test & save in Settings > AI reports a failed connection
• Find models returns nothing

Solutions:

1. Check the server:

   • Ollama listens on http://localhost:11434/v1, LM Studio on http://localhost:1234/v1
   • The base URL must end in /v1

2. Browser origins:

   • Ollama blocks unknown browser origins by default
   • localhost works out of the box; from a deployed Duck-UI start Ollama with OLLAMA_ORIGINS=https://your-origin

3. Pick a model the server has:

   • Click Find models and choose from the list

Problem: “Model download failed”

Symptoms:

• Progress bar stalls
• Download error message
• Model never finishes loading

Solutions:

1. Check network:

   • Ensure stable internet connection
   • Try disabling VPN temporarily
   • Check firewall settings

2. Clear cache and retry:

   • Settings > AI > In-browser models > Clear cache
   • Reload page and try again

3. Try smaller model:

   • Llama 3.2 1B is only ~1.1GB
   • Faster to download

4. Check disk space:

   • Models are cached locally
   • Need ~3GB free space

Problem: “AI responses are slow”

Solutions:

1. GPU performance:

   • Close other GPU-intensive apps
   • Dedicated GPU is faster than integrated

2. Try smaller model:

   • Llama 3.2 1B is fastest
   • Trade quality for speed

3. Use a local server or cloud AI:

   • Full size models at native speed
   • No WebGPU needed

4. Browser resources:

   • Close unused tabs
   • Restart browser if sluggish

Problem: “Cloud AI API key not working”

Solutions:

1. Verify API key:

   • Copy key exactly (no extra spaces)
   • Check key hasn’t expired

2. Check permissions:

   • OpenAI: Ensure key has Chat/Completions access
   • Anthropic: Verify key is active

3. Check credits/quota:

   • Ensure account has available credits
   • Check usage limits

4. Generate new key:

   • Create fresh API key
   • Delete old key from settings

External Connections

Problem: “Cannot connect to external DuckDB server”

Symptoms:

• Connection times out
• Authentication fails
• Server not accessible

Solutions:

1. Verify environment variables (name, host and port are all required):

   DUCK_UI_EXTERNAL_CONNECTION_NAME="My Server"
   DUCK_UI_EXTERNAL_HOST=http://your-server
   DUCK_UI_EXTERNAL_PORT=8000
   DUCK_UI_EXTERNAL_USER=username
   DUCK_UI_EXTERNAL_PASS=password
   # or, instead of user and password:
   DUCK_UI_EXTERNAL_API_KEY=your-key

2. Check network connectivity:

   # Test from Docker host
   curl http://your-server:8000/health

3. Firewall/security:

   • Verify firewall rules allow connection
   • Check if VPN is required
   • Ensure ports are open

4. Docker networking:

   • The browser makes the requests, not the container, so the host must be reachable from the browser
   • Use a host name or IP the browser can resolve, not a Compose service name
   • Check Docker network configuration

Problem: “External connection appears but can’t query”

Solutions:

• Check DuckDB HTTP API is enabled on server
• Verify authentication credentials
• Test with DuckDB CLI first
• Review server logs for errors

Extensions

Problem: “Extension loading failed”

Symptoms:

• INSTALL extension fails
• Extension not found
• Unsigned extension error

Solutions:

1. Use the Extensions page:

   • Data group in the left rail > Extensions lists what is available for the active connection
   • Extensions without a build for the WASM platform carry a warning badge

2. Enable unsigned extensions:

   docker run -e DUCK_UI_ALLOW_UNSIGNED_EXTENSIONS="true" ...

3. Check extension compatibility:

   • Not all extensions work with WASM
   • Verify extension is WASM-compatible
   • Check DuckDB version compatibility

4. Common working extensions:

   -- These typically work in WASM
   INSTALL httpfs;
   LOAD httpfs;
   
   INSTALL json;
   LOAD json;

5. Extensions that don’t work in WASM:

   • Extensions requiring native libraries
   • Platform-specific extensions
   • Some database connectors

Performance

Problem: “Queries are slow in browser”

Solutions:

1. Optimize queries:

   -- Use LIMIT for exploration
   SELECT * FROM large_table LIMIT 1000;
   
   -- Filter early
   SELECT * FROM table
   WHERE date > '2024-01-01'  -- Filter first
   LIMIT 1000;

2. Memory management:

   • Raise or lower the DuckDB memory limit in Settings > Performance
   • Lower “Maximum rows per result” in Settings > Performance; a result cut at the limit is still sorted and filtered over the full answer
   • Close unused query tabs
   • Clear the History page periodically
   • Restart browser if memory is high

3. Use external connection for large datasets:

   • WASM mode has memory limits
   • External DuckDB for production workloads
   • Better performance for large datasets

4. Browser selection:

   • Chrome/Edge generally fastest
   • Use desktop, not mobile
   • Close other browser tabs

Editor

Problem: “Only part of my SQL ran”

⌘Enter (Ctrl+Enter on Windows and Linux) runs the selection, or the single statement under the cursor when nothing is selected. Use ⌘Shift+Enter to run the whole tab.

Problem: “A shortcut does nothing”

• ⌘K opens the command menu, ⌥N a new query, ⌥W closes the tab, ⌘B toggles the explorer, Alt+F formats
• ⌥N and ⌥W are bound to the physical N and W keys, so they work on any keyboard layout
• ⌘B and / (command menu) are ignored while typing in an input

Problem: “The page asks ‘Leave site?’ when closing”

Duck-UI asks before every close or reload, so a stray shortcut does not close the workspace. Your work saves itself either way: choosing Leave loses nothing.

Docker Issues

Problem: “Docker container won’t start”

Solutions:

1. Check Docker logs:

   docker logs duck-ui

2. Port conflicts:

   # Check if port is in use
   lsof -i :5522
   
   # Use different port
   docker run -p 5523:5522 ...

3. Environment variable syntax:

   # Correct
   -e DUCK_UI_EXTERNAL_HOST="http://server"
   
   # Incorrect (no quotes may cause issues)
   -e DUCK_UI_EXTERNAL_HOST=http://server

4. Image issues:

   # Pull latest image
   docker pull ghcr.io/caioricciuti/duck-ui:latest
   
   # Remove old containers
   docker rm duck-ui

Problem: “Changes to environment variables not taking effect”

Solutions:

# Stop and remove container
docker stop duck-ui && docker rm duck-ui

# Recreate with new variables
docker run --name duck-ui -p 5522:5522 \
  -e DUCK_UI_EXTERNAL_HOST="new-value" \
  ghcr.io/caioricciuti/duck-ui:latest

Browser-Specific Issues

Chrome/Edge

Problem: High memory usage

Solutions:

• Use Task Manager (Shift+Esc) to monitor tabs
• Enable “Memory Saver” in chrome://settings
• Close unused tabs and extensions

Firefox

Problem: OPFS features unavailable

Solutions:

• Enable dom.fs.enabled in about:config
• Update to Firefox 111+ for better support
• Use WASM mode if OPFS unavailable

Safari

Problem: Limited OPFS support

Solutions:

• Update to Safari 15.2+
• Use WASM mode for reliability
• Consider Chrome/Edge for full features

Getting Help

If you’re still experiencing issues:

1. Check GitHub Issues: github.com/caioricciuti/duck-ui/issues
2. Start a Discussion: github.com/caioricciuti/duck-ui/discussions
3. Provide Details:
   • Browser version
   • Operating system
   • Error messages (console logs)
   • Steps to reproduce
   • Duck-UI version (shown on the Home tab and at the bottom of the Settings sidebar)

Useful Debugging

Check DuckDB Version

SELECT version();

Check Available Extensions

SELECT * FROM duckdb_extensions();

Check Browser Storage

// In browser console
navigator.storage.estimate().then(estimate => {
  console.log(`Used: ${estimate.usage} bytes`);
  console.log(`Quota: ${estimate.quota} bytes`);
});

Enable Verbose Logging

Open browser DevTools (F12) and check:

• Console tab for JavaScript errors
• Network tab for failed requests
• Application tab for storage inspection

Next Steps

• Environment Variables - Configuration guide
• Getting Started - Installation guide
• GitHub Issues - Report bugs