serverpod-database

name	serverpod-database
description	Serverpod ORM with PostgreSQL — CRUD, filters, sorting, pagination, relations, migrations, transactions, raw SQL. Use when querying the database, writing migrations, or working with relations. Also include serverpod-models skill if you need to change models.

Serverpod Database

PostgreSQL via ORM. Models with table in .spy.yaml get generated ORM code.

CRUD

var company = Company(name: 'Serverpod Inc.', foundedDate: DateTime.now());
company = await Company.db.insertRow(session, company);
var stored = await Company.db.findById(session, company.id);
company = company.copyWith(name: 'New Name');
await Company.db.updateRow(session, company);
await Company.db.deleteRow(session, company);

Filters

Fluent filter API via where callback with table descriptor t:

var activeCompanies = await Company.db.find(session,
  where: (t) => t.name.ilike('a%') & (t.foundedDate > DateTime(2020)));

• Equality: t.column.equals(value), t.column.notEquals(value)
• Comparison (int/double/Duration/DateTime): >, >=, <, <=
• Range: t.column.between(a, b), notBetween
• Set: t.column.inSet(set), notInSet
• String: t.column.like('A%') (case-sensitive), ilike (case-insensitive); % = any chars, _ = one char
• Combine: & (and), | (or), ~ (not); use parentheses for precedence
• Related (one-to-one): t.address.street.like('%road%')
• Related (one-to-many): t.orders.count() > 3, t.orders.count((o) => o.itemType.equals('book')) > 3, t.orders.none(), t.orders.any(), t.orders.any((o) => ...), t.orders.every((o) => ...)
• Vector: distance operators (distanceCosine, distanceL2) for similarity search

Sorting and pagination

• Sort: orderBy: (t) => t.column (ascending default); orderDescending: true for descending
• Multiple: orderByList: (t) => [Order(column: t.name, orderDescending: true), Order(column: t.id)]
• Sort on relation: orderBy: (t) => t.ceo.name; on count: orderBy: (t) => t.employees.count()
• Pagination: limit + offset for offset-based; cursor-based: where: (t) => t.id > lastId with orderBy: (t) => t.id and limit

Relations (include, attach, detach)

var employee = await Employee.db.findById(session, id,
  include: Employee.include(address: Address.include()));

var company = await Company.db.findById(session, id,
  include: Company.include(
    employees: Employee.includeList(
      where: (t) => t.name.ilike('a%'),
      orderBy: (t) => t.name,
      limit: 10,
      includes: Employee.include(address: Address.include()),
    ),
  ));

Attach/detach: Company.db.attachRow.employees(session, company, employee), Company.db.attach.employees(session, company, [e1, e2]), Company.db.detachRow.employees(session, employee). Objects must have id set.

Transactions

await session.transaction((tx) async {
  await Company.db.insertRow(tx, company);
  await OtherModel.db.updateRow(tx, other);
});

Use tx (not the outer session) for all DB calls inside.

Row locking

Requires a transaction. Pass lockMode and transaction to find/findFirstRow/findById:

• LockMode.forUpdate (exclusive), forNoKeyUpdate, forShare, forKeyShare
• LockBehavior.wait (default), noWait (throw), skipLocked (skip, good for job queues)
• Lock without reading: Company.db.lockRows(session, where: ..., lockMode: ..., transaction: tx)

Runtime parameters

Set Postgres params globally: runtimeParametersBuilder: (params) => [params.searchPaths(['my_schema', 'public'])] at Serverpod init. Per-transaction: await tx.setRuntimeParameters(...). Use for search path, vector index options, or custom MapRuntimeParameters. Cannot set at session level due to connection pooling.

Migrations

After changing models with table/indexes: serverpod create-migration, then dart run bin/main.dart --apply-migrations. Options: --force (override safeguards), --tag "v1" (name tag). For scripted apply: --role maintenance --apply-migrations (exits with 0 on success). Opt out per table: managedMigration: false.

Repair migrations: If DB was changed outside migrations: serverpod create-repair-migration (options: --mode production, --version <name>, --force, --tag). Apply: --apply-repair-migration. Runs before normal migrations.

Raw SQL

Use raw SQL via the session/database API for queries beyond ORM. Prefer ORM for standard CRUD.