defmodule Ecto.Query.API do @moduledoc """ This module lists all functions allowed in the query API. * Comparison operators: `==`, `!=`, `<=`, `>=`, `<`, `>` * Boolean operators: `and`, `or`, `not` * Inclusion operator: `in/2` * Search functions: `like/2` and `ilike/2` * Null check functions: `is_nil/1` * Aggregates: `count/1`, `avg/1`, `sum/1`, `min/1`, `max/1` * Date/time intervals: `datetime_add/3`, `date_add/3`, `from_now/2`, `ago/2` * Inside select: `struct/2`, `map/2`, `merge/2` and literals (map, tuples, lists, etc) * General: `fragment/1`, `field/2` and `type/2` Note the functions in this module exist for documentation purposes and one should never need to invoke them directly. Furthermore, it is possible to define your own macros and use them in Ecto queries (see docs for `fragment/1`). """ @dialyzer :no_return @doc """ Binary `==` operation. """ def left == right, do: doc! [left, right] @doc """ Binary `!=` operation. """ def left != right, do: doc! [left, right] @doc """ Binary `<=` operation. """ def left <= right, do: doc! [left, right] @doc """ Binary `>=` operation. """ def left >= right, do: doc! [left, right] @doc """ Binary `<` operation. """ def left < right, do: doc! [left, right] @doc """ Binary `>` operation. """ def left > right, do: doc! [left, right] @doc """ Binary `and` operation. """ def left and right, do: doc! [left, right] @doc """ Binary `or` operation. """ def left or right, do: doc! [left, right] @doc """ Unary `not` operation. """ def not(value), do: doc! [value] @doc """ Checks if the left-value is included in the right one. from p in Post, where: p.id in [1, 2, 3] The right side may either be a list, a literal list or even a column in the database with array type: from p in Post, where: "elixir" in p.tags """ def left in right, do: doc! [left, right] @doc """ Searches for `search` in `string`. from p in Post, where: like(p.body, "Chapter%") Translates to the underlying SQL LIKE query, therefore its behaviour is dependent on the database. In particular, PostgreSQL will do a case-sensitive operation, while the majority of other databases will be case-insensitive. For performing a case-insensitive `like` in PostgreSQL, see `ilike/2`. You should be very careful when allowing user sent data to be used as part of LIKE query, since they allow to perform [LIKE-injections](https://githubengineering.com/like-injection/). """ def like(string, search), do: doc! [string, search] @doc """ Searches for `search` in `string` in a case insensitive fashion. from p in Post, where: ilike(p.body, "Chapter%") Translates to the underlying SQL ILIKE query. This operation is only available on PostgreSQL. """ def ilike(string, search), do: doc! [string, search] @doc """ Checks if the given value is nil. from p in Post, where: is_nil(p.published_at) To check if a given value is not nil use: from p in Post, where: not is_nil(p.published_at) """ def is_nil(value), do: doc! [value] @doc """ Counts the given entry. from p in Post, select: count(p.id) """ def count(value), do: doc! [value] @doc """ Counts the distinct values in given entry. from p in Post, select: count(p.id, :distinct) """ def count(value, :distinct), do: doc! [value, :distinct] @doc """ Calculates the average for the given entry. from p in Payment, select: avg(p.value) """ def avg(value), do: doc! [value] @doc """ Calculates the sum for the given entry. from p in Payment, select: sum(p.value) """ def sum(value), do: doc! [value] @doc """ Calculates the minimum for the given entry. from p in Payment, select: min(p.value) """ def min(value), do: doc! [value] @doc """ Calculates the maximum for the given entry. from p in Payment, select: max(p.value) """ def max(value), do: doc! [value] @doc """ Adds a given interval to a datetime. The first argument is a `datetime`, the second one is the count for the interval, which may be either positive or negative and the interval value: # Get all items published since the last month from p in Post, where: p.published_at > datetime_add(^NaiveDateTime.utc_now, -1, "month") In the example above, we used `datetime_add/3` to subtract one month from the current datetime and compared it with the `p.published_at`. If you want to perform operations on date, `date_add/3` could be used. The following intervals are supported: year, month, week, day, hour, minute, second, millisecond and microsecond. """ def datetime_add(datetime, count, interval), do: doc! [datetime, count, interval] @doc """ Adds a given interval to a date. See `datetime_add/3` for more information. """ def date_add(date, count, interval), do: doc! [date, count, interval] @doc """ Adds the given interval to the current time in UTC. The current time in UTC is retrieved from Elixir and not from the database. ## Examples from a in Account, where: a.expires_at < from_now(3, "month") """ def from_now(count, interval), do: doc! [count, interval] @doc """ Subtracts the given interval from the current time in UTC. The current time in UTC is retrieved from Elixir and not from the database. ## Examples from p in Post, where: p.published_at > ago(3, "month") """ def ago(count, interval), do: doc! [count, interval] @doc """ Send fragments directly to the database. It is not possible to represent all possible database queries using Ecto's query syntax. When such is required, it is possible to use fragments to send any expression to the database: def unpublished_by_title(title) do from p in Post, where: is_nil(p.published_at) and fragment("lower(?)", p.title) == ^title end In the example above, we are using the lower procedure in the database to downcase the title column. It is very important to keep in mind that Ecto is unable to do any type casting described above when fragments are used. You can however use the `type/2` function to give Ecto some hints: fragment("lower(?)", p.title) == type(^title, :string) Or even say the right side is of the same type as `p.title`: fragment("lower(?)", p.title) == type(^title, p.title) It is possible to make use of PostgreSQL's JSON/JSONB data type with fragments, as well: fragment("?->>? ILIKE ?", p.map, "key_name", ^some_value) ## Keyword fragments In order to support databases that do not have string-based queries, like MongoDB, fragments also allow keywords to be given: from p in Post, where: fragment(title: ["$eq": ^some_value]) ## Defining custom functions using macros and fragment You can add a custom Ecto query function using macros. For example to expose SQL's coalesce function you can define this macro: defmodule CustomFunctions do defmacro coalesce(left, right) do quote do fragment("coalesce(?, ?)", unquote(left), unquote(right)) end end end To have coalesce/2 available, just import the module that defines it. import CustomFunctions The only downside is that it will show up as a fragment when inspecting the Elixir query. Other than that, it should be equivalent to a built-in Ecto query function. """ def fragment(fragments), do: doc! [fragments] @doc """ Allows a field to be dynamically accessed. def at_least_four(doors_or_tires) do from c in Car, where: field(c, ^doors_or_tires) >= 4 end In the example above, both `at_least_four(:doors)` and `at_least_four(:tires)` would be valid calls as the field is dynamically generated. """ def field(source, field), do: doc! [source, field] @doc """ Used in `select` to specify which struct fields should be returned. For example, if you don't need all fields to be returned as part of a struct, you can filter it to include only certain fields by using `struct/2`: from p in Post, select: struct(p, [:title, :body]) `struct/2` can also be used to dynamically select fields: fields = [:title, :body] from p in Post, select: struct(p, ^fields) As a convenience, `select` allows developers to take fields without an explicit call to `struct/2`: from p in Post, select: [:title, :body] Or even dynamically: fields = [:title, :body] from p in Post, select: ^fields For preloads, the selected fields may be specified from the parent: from(city in City, preload: :country, select: struct(city, [:country_id, :name, country: [:id, :population]])) If the same source is selected multiple times with a `struct`, the fields are merged in order to avoid fetching multiple copies from the database. In other words, the expression below: from(city in City, preload: :country, select: {struct(city, [:country_id]), struct(city, [:name])} is expanded to: from(city in City, preload: :country, select: {struct(city, [:country_id, :name]), struct(city, [:country_id, :name])} **IMPORTANT**: When filtering fields for associations, you MUST include the foreign keys used in the relationship, otherwise Ecto will be unable to find associated records. """ def struct(source, fields), do: doc! [source, fields] @doc """ Used in `select` to specify which fields should be returned as a map. For example, if you don't need all fields to be returned or neither need a struct, you can use `map/2` to achieve both: from p in Post, select: map(p, [:title, :body]) `map/2` can also be used to dynamically select fields: fields = [:title, :body] from p in Post, select: map(p, ^fields) If the same source is selected multiple times with a `map`, the fields are merged in order to avoid fetching multiple copies from the database. In other words, the expression below: from(city in City, preload: :country, select: {map(city, [:country_id]), map(city, [:name])} is expanded to: from(city in City, preload: :country, select: {map(city, [:country_id, :name]), map(city, [:country_id, :name])} For preloads, the selected fields may be specified from the parent: from(city in City, preload: :country, select: map(city, [:country_id, :name, country: [:id, :population]])) **IMPORTANT**: When filtering fields for associations, you MUST include the foreign keys used in the relationship, otherwise Ecto will be unable to find associated records. """ def map(source, fields), do: doc! [source, fields] @doc """ Merges the map on the right over the map on the left. If the map on the left side is a struct, Ecto will check all of the field on the right previously exist on the left before merging. from(city in City, select: merge(city, %{virtual_field: "some_value"})) This function is primarily used by `Ecto.Query.select_merge/3` to merge different select clauses. """ def merge(left_map, right_map), do: doc! [left_map, right_map] @doc """ Casts the given value to the given type at the database level. Most of the times, Ecto is able to proper cast interpolated values due to its type checking mechanism. In some situations though, you may want to tell Ecto that a parameter has some particular type: type(^title, :string) It is also possible to say the type must match the same of a column: type(^title, p.title) Ecto will ensure `^title` is cast to the given type and enforce such type at the database level. If the value is returned in a `select`, Ecto will also enforce the proper type throughout. Inside `select`, `type/2` can also be used to cast fragments: type(fragment("NOW"), :naive_datetime) Or to type fields from schemaless queries: from p in "posts", select: type(p.cost, :decimal) Or to type aggregation results: from p in Post, select: type(avg(p.cost), :integer) """ def type(interpolated_value, type), do: doc! [interpolated_value, type] defp doc!(_) do raise "the functions in Ecto.Query.API should not be invoked directly, " <> "they serve for documentation purposes only" end end