notes/Databases/SurrealDB/Syntax.md

Syntax

• CREATE: Creates resources/records, similar to INSERT INTO in Postgres
• DEFINE: Creates namespaces, databases, and logins
• UPDATE: Updates resources/records, similar to UPDATE table_name SET ... in Postgres
• DELETE: Deletes resources/records, similar to DELETE in Postgres
• USE: Used for switching in between namespaces and databases
• SLEEP: Used to make the database go to sleep
• BEGIN: Used for making a group of SurrealQL statements a singular transaction. Transaction block must end with a COMMIT
• COMMIT: Used for making a group of SurrealQL statements a singular transaction. Transaction block must start with a BEGIN

Examples

Basic SELECT examples

-- Select all fields from a table
SELECT * FROM person;

-- Select specific fields from a table
SELECT name, address, email FROM person;

-- Select all fields from a specific record
SELECT * FROM person:tobie;

-- Select specific fields from a specific record
SELECT name, address, email FROM person:tobie;

-- Alias/rename fields
SELECT name AS user_name, address FROM person;

-- Select just a single record
-- Using the ONLY keyword, just an object for the record in question will be returned.
-- This, instead of an array with a single object.
SELECT * FROM ONLY person:john;

Advanced SELECT expressions

-- Select nested objects/values
SELECT address.city FROM person;

-- Select all nested array values
-- note the .* syntax works to select everything from an array or object-like values
SELECT address.*.coordinates AS coordinates FROM person;
-- Equivalent to 
SELECT address.coordinates AS coordinates FROM person;

-- Select one item from an array
SELECT address.coordinates[0] AS latitude FROM person;

-- Select unique values from an array
SELECT array::distinct(tags) FROM article;

-- Select unique values from a nested array across an entire table
SELECT array::group(tags) AS tags FROM article GROUP ALL;

-- Use mathematical calculations in a select expression
SELECT ( ( celsius * 2 ) + 30 ) AS fahrenheit FROM temperature;

-- Return boolean expressions with an alias
SELECT rating >= 4 as positive FROM review;

-- Select manually generated object structure
SELECT { weekly: false, monthly: true } AS `marketing settings` FROM user;

-- Select filtered nested array values
SELECT address[WHERE active = true] FROM person;

-- Select a person who has reacted to a post using a celebration
-- You can see the graph as: person->(reacted_to WHERE type='celebrate')->post
SELECT * FROM person WHERE ->(reacted_to WHERE type='celebrate')->post;

-- Select a remote field from connected out graph edges
SELECT ->likes->friend.name AS friends FROM person:tobie;

-- Use the result of a subquery as a returned field
SELECT *, (SELECT * FROM events WHERE type = 'activity' LIMIT 5) AS history FROM user;

UPDATE examples

-- Update all records in a table
UPDATE person SET skills += ['breathing'];

-- Update or create a record with a specific numeric id
UPDATE person:100 SET name = 'Tobie', company = 'SurrealDB', skills = ['Rust', 'Go', 'JavaScript'];

-- Update or create a record with a specific string id
UPDATE person:tobie SET name = 'Tobie', company = 'SurrealDB', skills = ['Rust', 'Go', 'JavaScript'];

-- Update just a single record
-- Using the ONLY keyword, just an object for the record in question will be returned.
-- This, instead of an array with a single object.
UPDATE ONLY person:tobie SET name = 'Tobie', company = 'SurrealDB', skills = ['Rust', 'Go', 'JavaScript'];