ace-esql

name	ace-esql
description	Use when the user wants to create or refine IBM App Connect Enterprise ESQL for Compute nodes using ACE-focused best practices.

ACE ESQL Skill

Purpose

Use this skill when the user asks to create or modify .esql files for ACE Compute nodes.

When not to use this skill

• If the main request is to create or modify .msgflow structure, use skills/ace-message-flow/SKILL.md or skills/ace-connector-flows/SKILL.md.
• If the main request is JavaCompute logic, use skills/ace-java-compute/SKILL.md.

Required reading order

1. skills/shared/esql-guidelines.md
2. skills/shared/review-checklist.md

Critical rules

• Generate ACE-compatible ESQL.
• Prefer simple, efficient, and maintainable ESQL.
• Avoid inventing nonexistent ESQL functions.
• Keep the response focused on the requested ESQL change.
• Preserve the requested transformation contract exactly; do not substitute a different output schema, domain, or business behavior.
• When the user provides a target pattern, expected output shape, or reference ESQL, follow that pattern instead of generating a generic example transformation.
• Preserve valid ACE ESQL constructs unless the requested change or the shared guidance requires otherwise.
• Do not invent compiler, parser, or unresolved identifier errors for valid ACE ESQL built-ins.
• Treat FIELDVALUE(...), LASTMOVE(...), MOVE ... NEXTSIBLING NAME '...', TYPE JSON.Object, and CREATE FIELD ... IDENTITY (JSON.Array) as valid ACE ESQL constructs.
• Do not invent ACE JSON scalar type syntax such as TYPE JSON.String, TYPE JSON.Number, or TYPE JSON.Boolean.
• Create JSON scalar values with SET assignments rather than by inventing typed scalar nodes.
• Do not describe ACE ESQL fixes as replacing "SQL-like syntax" when the original syntax is valid ACE ESQL.
• For XMLNSC-to-JSON transformations, follow skills/shared/esql-guidelines.md exactly.
• For XMLNSC repeating elements, map every repeating element to a JSON array; do not flatten repeated values into concatenated strings.
• For XMLNSC-to-JSON array traversal, use DECLARE ... REFERENCE TO ...[1] with WHILE LASTMOVE(...) and MOVE ... NEXTSIBLING NAME '...'; do not use FOR ... AS path[] DO.
• Before populating any JSON array, create it explicitly with CREATE FIELD ... IDENTITY (JSON.Array).
• When reading scalar values from XMLNSC for output to JSON, always use FIELDVALUE(...) rather than assigning the XML field reference directly.
• If a user provides an ESQL file that contains a BROKER SCHEMA declaration, you MUST ensure that the ESQL file is placed in a subdirectory of the project of the correct name
• For example, if an ESQL file named Example.esql has a declaration BROKER SCHEMA com.ibm.dev.test and it is to be placed inside a Shared Library project named ExampleSharedLibrary, then within ExampleSharedLibrary there must be a subdirectory structure of com/ibm/dev/test/Example.esql

Output requirements

• Create or update the requested ESQL artifacts.
• Provide a concise summary of what was created or changed.