surrealdb

SurrealDB - Production-Ready Query Generator

Generate solid, high-quality, production-ready SurrealDB queries and operations using SurrealQL for multi-model database applications including document, graph, and relational patterns.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when the user wants to:

• Write SurrealQL queries (SELECT, CREATE, UPDATE, DELETE, UPSERT)
• Design database schemas (SCHEMAFULL/SCHEMALESS tables, field definitions)
• Model relationships (record links, graph edges with RELATE, nested data)
• Implement authentication (DEFINE ACCESS, SCOPE, permissions, RBAC)
• Create indexes for performance optimization
• Write custom functions using DEFINE FUNCTION
• Build real-time applications with LIVE queries
• Implement transactions for data consistency
• Migrate from SQL/NoSQL to SurrealDB
• Debug or optimize existing SurrealQL

SurrealQL Quick Reference

Core Statement Syntax

-- SELECT with graph traversal
SELECT *, ->friends->person AS mutual_friends FROM person:alice;

-- CREATE with specific ID
CREATE person:john SET name = 'John', age = 30;

-- UPDATE with operators
UPDATE person SET age += 1, tags += 'senior' WHERE age >= 65;

-- DELETE with conditions
DELETE person WHERE active = false;

-- UPSERT (create if not exists, update if exists)
UPSERT user:[email protected] SET email = '[email protected]', visits += 1;

-- RELATE for graph edges
RELATE person:alice->follows->person:bob SET since = time::now();

Data Types

-- Basic types
string, int, float, bool, datetime, duration, decimal, uuid

-- Complex types
array, object, record<table>, option<type>

-- Special types
geometry (point, line, polygon), bytes, null, none

Essential Functions

-- Time functions
time::now()                    -- Current timestamp
time::floor(datetime, 1d)      -- Floor to day
duration::from::days(7)        -- Create duration

-- String functions
string::is::email($value)      -- Validate email
string::concat($a, ' ', $b)    -- Concatenate
string::split($s, ',')         -- Split to array
string::lowercase($s)          -- Lowercase

-- Array functions
array::len($arr)               -- Array length
array::push($arr, $item)       -- Add to array
array::distinct($arr)          -- Remove duplicates
array::flatten($arr)           -- Flatten nested arrays

-- Crypto functions
crypto::argon2::generate($password)           -- Hash password
crypto::argon2::compare($hash, $password)     -- Verify password

-- Math functions
math::sum($arr)                -- Sum values
math::mean($arr)               -- Average
math::max($arr)                -- Maximum

-- Record functions
record::id($record)            -- Get record ID
record::table($record)         -- Get table name

-- Type functions
type::is::string($val)         -- Type check
type::thing($table, $id)       -- Create record ID

Instructions for Writing SurrealDB Queries

Step 1: Understand the Data Model

Before writing any SurrealQL:

1. What is the data structure? (Document, graph, relational, or hybrid?)
2. What relationships exist? (One-to-many, many-to-many, graph traversals?)
3. What access patterns? (Read-heavy, write-heavy, real-time?)
4. What consistency requirements? (Eventual, strong, transactional?)

Step 2: Choose Schema Strategy

SCHEMAFULL - Use when:

• Data structure is well-defined
• Type safety is critical
• Validation rules are needed
• Production workloads

SCHEMALESS - Use when:

• Rapid prototyping
• Evolving data structures
• Flexible document storage

-- SCHEMAFULL with validation
DEFINE TABLE user SCHEMAFULL;
DEFINE FIELD email ON user TYPE string ASSERT string::is::email($value);
DEFINE FIELD password ON user TYPE string;
DEFINE FIELD created_at ON user TYPE datetime DEFAULT time::now();
DEFINE FIELD status ON user TYPE string DEFAULT 'active'
    ASSERT $value IN ['active', 'inactive', 'suspended'];

-- SCHEMALESS (flexible)
DEFINE TABLE event SCHEMALESS;

Step 3: Design Relationships

Choose the right relationship model:

Record Links - Simple, direct references:

-- One-to-many via array of record IDs
CREATE user:alice SET
    name = 'Alice',
    friends = [user:bob, user:carol];

-- Fetch with link resolution
SELECT *, friends.* FROM user:alice;

Graph Edges (RELATE) - Complex relationships with metadata:

-- Create relationship with properties
RELATE user:alice->follows->user:bob SET
    since = time::now(),
    notifications = true;

-- Traverse graph
SELECT
    ->follows->user AS following,
    <-follows<-user AS followers
FROM user:alice;

-- Multi-hop traversal
SELECT ->follows->user->follows->user AS friends_of_friends
FROM user:alice;

Embedded Documents - Denormalized data:

CREATE order SET
    customer = { name: 'Alice', email: '[email protected]' },
    items = [
        { product: 'Widget', quantity: 2, price: 29.99 },
        { product: 'Gadget', quantity: 1, price: 49.99 }
    ],
    total = 109.97;

Step 4: Implement Authentication

Record-Level Access with DEFINE ACCESS:

-- Define user access
DEFINE ACCESS user_auth ON DATABASE TYPE RECORD
    SIGNUP (
        CREATE user SET
            email = $email,
            password = crypto::argon2::generate($password),
            created_at = time::now()
    )
    SIGNIN (
        SELECT * FROM user
        WHERE email = $email
        AND crypto::argon2::compare(password, $password)
    )
    DURATION FOR TOKEN 24h, FOR SESSION 7d;

-- Define table permissions
DEFINE TABLE post SCHEMAFULL
    PERMISSIONS
        FOR select WHERE published = true OR author = $auth.id
        FOR create WHERE $auth.id != NONE
        FOR update WHERE author = $auth.id
        FOR delete WHERE author = $auth.id;

Step 5: Optimize with Indexes

-- Unique index
DEFINE INDEX unique_email ON user FIELDS email UNIQUE;

-- Composite index
DEFINE INDEX order_lookup ON order FIELDS customer, status;

-- Full-text search index
DEFINE ANALYZER english TOKENIZERS blank FILTERS lowercase, snowball(english);
DEFINE INDEX content_search ON article FIELDS content
    SEARCH ANALYZER english BM25;

-- Verify index usage
EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM user WHERE email = '[email protected]';

Step 6: Write Transactions

BEGIN TRANSACTION;

-- Transfer funds between accounts
LET $amount = 100;
UPDATE account:alice SET balance -= $amount;
UPDATE account:bob SET balance += $amount;
CREATE transaction SET
    from = account:alice,
    to = account:bob,
    amount = $amount,
    timestamp = time::now();

COMMIT TRANSACTION;

Common Query Patterns

CRUD Operations

Create with validation:

CREATE user CONTENT {
    email: '[email protected]',
    name: 'John Doe',
    roles: ['user'],
    metadata: {
        source: 'signup',
        ip: '192.168.1.1'
    }
};

Select with filtering and pagination:

SELECT * FROM user
WHERE status = 'active'
    AND created_at > time::now() - 30d
ORDER BY created_at DESC
LIMIT 20
START 0;

Update with operators:

-- Increment/decrement
UPDATE user:alice SET login_count += 1;

-- Array manipulation
UPDATE user:alice SET tags += 'premium', tags -= 'trial';

-- Conditional update
UPDATE user SET status = 'inactive'
WHERE last_login < time::now() - 90d;

Upsert pattern:

UPSERT user:[email protected] SET
    email = '[email protected]',
    last_seen = time::now(),
    visits += 1;

Graph Queries

Social network - friends of friends:

SELECT
    id,
    name,
    array::distinct(->follows->user->follows->user) AS suggested_friends
FROM user:alice
WHERE suggested_friends != user:alice;

E-commerce - product recommendations:

-- Find products bought by users who bought this product
SELECT
    <-purchased<-user->purchased->product AS related_products,
    count() AS frequency
FROM product:widget123
GROUP BY related_products
ORDER BY frequency DESC
LIMIT 10;

Knowledge graph - recursive traversal:

-- Find all ancestors up to 5 levels
SELECT
    ->parent->(1..5)->category AS ancestors
FROM category:electronics;

Analytics Queries

Aggregations:

SELECT
    status,
    count() AS total,
    math::mean(age) AS avg_age,
    math::min(created_at) AS first_created
FROM user
GROUP BY status;

Time-series analysis:

SELECT
    time::floor(timestamp, 1h) AS hour,
    count() AS events,
    math::sum(value) AS total_value
FROM metrics
WHERE timestamp > time::now() - 24h
GROUP BY hour
ORDER BY hour;

Subqueries and Computed Fields

Subquery in SELECT:

SELECT
    *,
    (SELECT count() FROM post WHERE author = $parent.id) AS post_count,
    (SELECT VALUE title FROM post WHERE author = $parent.id LIMIT 5) AS recent_posts
FROM user;

LET for complex queries (CTE alternative):

LET $active_users = (SELECT id FROM user WHERE status = 'active');
LET $recent_orders = (SELECT * FROM order WHERE created_at > time::now() - 7d);

SELECT * FROM $recent_orders
WHERE customer IN $active_users.id;

Schema Design Patterns

User Profile with Nested Objects

DEFINE TABLE user SCHEMAFULL;
DEFINE FIELD email ON user TYPE string ASSERT string::is::email($value);
DEFINE FIELD password ON user TYPE string;
DEFINE FIELD profile ON user TYPE object;
DEFINE FIELD profile.name ON user TYPE string;
DEFINE FIELD profile.avatar ON user TYPE option<string>;
DEFINE FIELD profile.bio ON user TYPE option<string>;
DEFINE FIELD settings ON user TYPE object DEFAULT {};
DEFINE FIELD settings.notifications ON user TYPE bool DEFAULT true;
DEFINE FIELD settings.theme ON user TYPE string DEFAULT 'light';
DEFINE FIELD created_at ON user TYPE datetime DEFAULT time::now();
DEFINE FIELD updated_at ON user TYPE datetime VALUE time::now();

DEFINE INDEX unique_email ON user FIELDS email UNIQUE;

E-commerce Schema

-- Products
DEFINE TABLE product SCHEMAFULL;
DEFINE FIELD name ON product TYPE string;
DEFINE FIELD description ON product TYPE string;
DEFINE FIELD price ON product TYPE decimal;
DEFINE FIELD inventory ON product TYPE int DEFAULT 0;
DEFINE FIELD categories ON product TYPE array<record<category>>;
DEFINE FIELD active ON product TYPE bool DEFAULT true;

DEFINE INDEX product_search ON product FIELDS name, description
    SEARCH ANALYZER blank BM25;

-- Orders
DEFINE TABLE order SCHEMAFULL;
DEFINE FIELD customer ON order TYPE record<user>;
DEFINE FIELD items ON order TYPE array;
DEFINE FIELD items.*.product ON order TYPE record<product>;
DEFINE FIELD items.*.quantity ON order TYPE int;
DEFINE FIELD items.*.price ON order TYPE decimal;
DEFINE FIELD status ON order TYPE string DEFAULT 'pending'
    ASSERT $value IN ['pending', 'processing', 'shipped', 'delivered', 'cancelled'];
DEFINE FIELD total ON order TYPE decimal;
DEFINE FIELD created_at ON order TYPE datetime DEFAULT time::now();

DEFINE INDEX order_customer ON order FIELDS customer;
DEFINE INDEX order_status ON order FIELDS status, created_at;

Graph Relationship Schema

-- Define edge table
DEFINE TABLE follows SCHEMAFULL TYPE RELATION;
DEFINE FIELD in ON follows TYPE record<user>;
DEFINE FIELD out ON follows TYPE record<user>;
DEFINE FIELD since ON follows TYPE datetime DEFAULT time::now();
DEFINE FIELD notifications ON follows TYPE bool DEFAULT true;

-- Prevent duplicate follows
DEFINE INDEX unique_follow ON follows FIELDS in, out UNIQUE;

Custom Functions

-- Calculate user engagement score
DEFINE FUNCTION fn::engagement_score($user_id: record<user>) {
    LET $posts = (SELECT count() FROM post WHERE author = $user_id);
    LET $comments = (SELECT count() FROM comment WHERE author = $user_id);
    LET $likes_received = (SELECT count() FROM like WHERE post.author = $user_id);

    RETURN ($posts * 5) + ($comments * 2) + $likes_received;
};

-- Usage
SELECT *, fn::engagement_score(id) AS score FROM user;

-- Validate and normalize email
DEFINE FUNCTION fn::normalize_email($email: string) {
    IF !string::is::email($email) {
        THROW "Invalid email format";
    };
    RETURN string::lowercase(string::trim($email));
};

-- Pagination helper
DEFINE FUNCTION fn::paginate($table: string, $page: int, $per_page: int) {
    LET $offset = ($page - 1) * $per_page;
    RETURN (SELECT * FROM type::table($table) LIMIT $per_page START $offset);
};

Real-Time (LIVE Queries)

-- Subscribe to changes on a table
LIVE SELECT * FROM post WHERE published = true;

-- Subscribe to specific record changes
LIVE SELECT * FROM user:alice;

-- Subscribe with graph traversal
LIVE SELECT *, ->comments->comment AS comments FROM post;

-- Kill a live query
KILL $live_query_id;

Performance Best Practices

1. Use Specific Record IDs Instead of Scans

-- FAST: Direct ID access
SELECT * FROM user:alice;

-- SLOW: Table scan
SELECT * FROM user WHERE id = 'alice';

2. Select Only Needed Fields

-- BETTER: Specific fields
SELECT name, email FROM user;

-- AVOID: All fields when not needed
SELECT * FROM user;

3. Use Indexes Effectively

-- Create index for common queries
DEFINE INDEX active_users ON user FIELDS status, created_at;

-- Query uses index
SELECT * FROM user
WHERE status = 'active'
ORDER BY created_at DESC;

4. Batch Operations

-- BETTER: Single batch insert
INSERT INTO log [
    { level: 'info', message: 'Start' },
    { level: 'info', message: 'Processing' },
    { level: 'info', message: 'Complete' }
];

-- AVOID: Multiple separate inserts

5. Use Transactions for Related Operations

BEGIN TRANSACTION;
-- Multiple related operations
COMMIT TRANSACTION;

Common Anti-patterns to Avoid

1. Missing Field Existence Checks

-- WRONG: Field might not exist
SELECT * FROM user WHERE profile.name = 'John';

-- CORRECT: Check existence first (in application logic)
-- Or use SCHEMAFULL tables with proper defaults

2. N+1 Query Problem

-- WRONG: Fetching related data in loops
-- (in application: for each user, fetch their posts)

-- CORRECT: Use record links and fetch in one query
SELECT *, posts.* FROM user FETCH posts;

3. Not Using Appropriate Relationship Model

-- WRONG: String IDs for relationships
CREATE user SET friend_ids = ['alice', 'bob'];

-- CORRECT: Record links
CREATE user SET friends = [user:alice, user:bob];

4. Over-fetching with Graph Traversals

-- WRONG: Unbounded traversal
SELECT ->*->* FROM user:alice;

-- CORRECT: Bounded traversal
SELECT ->(1..3)->follows->user FROM user:alice;

Debugging and Testing

Explain Query Execution

EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM user WHERE email = '[email protected]';
EXPLAIN FULL SELECT * FROM user WHERE email = '[email protected]';

Check Table Info

INFO FOR TABLE user;
INFO FOR DB;
INFO FOR NS;

Test Queries with Parameters

LET $email = '[email protected]';
SELECT * FROM user WHERE email = $email;

Output Format

When generating SurrealDB queries, always provide:

1. Complete SurrealQL statements with proper syntax
2. Schema definitions when creating tables/fields
3. Index recommendations for query patterns
4. Example data for testing
5. Explanation of design decisions
6. Performance considerations if relevant

Reference Files

• SurrealQL Syntax Reference - Complete language reference
• Schema Patterns - Common schema designs
• Graph Relationships - Relationship modeling patterns
• Security & Auth - Authentication and permissions

Version Compatibility

• SurrealDB 2.x: Latest features, GraphQL support, improved performance
• SurrealDB 1.x: Legacy version, use scope instead of access

Always verify target SurrealDB version before generating queries.