functions

name	functions
description	Reference ghidrasql SQL functions and choose the right helper for a task.
allowed-tools	["Bash","Read","Glob","Grep"]

Functions

Trigger Intents

Use this skill when the user asks:

• what SQL function exists for a task
• whether a helper function is better than a table write
• how to save, parse declarations, edit decompiler locals, or manage source lifecycle

Route to:

• decompiler for pseudocode and decompiler-table workflows
• types for parse_decls() and signature-related work
• annotations for full mutation loops
• grep for full-text search functions (search_*)

Catalog (21 functions)

ghidrasql registers 21 distinct names, 22 entries (search_snippet registers at arity 2 and 3). 18 are general-purpose helpers; 3 are cache-control helpers.

There is no shutdown(...) function — set the exit policy at launch via --shutdown and trigger the stop with POST /shutdown. There is no decompile SQL helper; use SELECT text FROM pseudocode WHERE func_addr = ... and cache_invalidate('pseudocode') or refresh_database() to drop stale state.

Decompiler

SELECT text FROM pseudocode WHERE func_addr = 0x401000;      -- full pseudocode text
SELECT rename_local(0x401000, '<local_id>', 'buffer');       -- == UPDATE decomp_lvars SET name
SELECT set_local_type(0x401000, '<local_id>', 'char *');     -- == UPDATE decomp_lvars SET type

Type import

SELECT parse_decls('typedef struct { int x; int y; } Point;');

Search (full-text on tokens / strings / metadata)

-- (haystack, query) are the two text arguments; these examples use literals so
-- they run as-is — swap in a column (e.g. a `strings.value`) for real searches.
SELECT normalize_text('SomeMixed_Case');                          -- canonical form
SELECT search_match('the quick brown fox', 'quick fox');          -- 0/1 — every term matches
SELECT search_score('the quick brown fox', 'quick fox');          -- relevance score
SELECT search_snippet('the quick brown fox', 'fox');              -- snippet, default radius
SELECT search_snippet('the quick brown fox', 'fox', 10);          -- snippet, custom radius
SELECT search_rank('strings', 'the quick brown fox', 'fox');      -- domain-weighted rank

Type analysis (declaration introspection)

SELECT type_family('struct foo { int x; }');                 -- aggregate|enum|alias|...
SELECT type_is_pointer('char *');                            -- 0/1
SELECT type_strip_cv('const volatile int *');                -- strips const/volatile

Formatting / housekeeping

SELECT hex(0x401000);                                        -- '0x401000'
SELECT program_revision();                                   -- Ghidra native modification number
SELECT string_count();                                       -- live string-table size
SELECT rebuild_strings();                                    -- refresh string table

Persistence and lifecycle

SELECT save_database();                                      -- commit pending mutations
SELECT discard_changes();                                    -- roll back pending mutations
SELECT refresh_database();                                   -- invalidate caches, reload

Cache helpers

Materialisation is freshness-token scoped for libghidra live sources: repeated /query calls can reuse table rows while program_id, Ghidra's modification number, program path, and available file metadata are unchanged. External Ghidra UI/API edits or active-program switches refresh on the next query. Cache helpers matter mainly inside a batched script (-f, multi-statement REPL input) or when forcing a surface to rebuild:

SELECT cache_stats();                                        -- JSON: invalidations_total, revision, cacheable tables
SELECT cache_invalidate('pseudocode');                       -- drop one table's cache; useful inside a batch after a write
SELECT cache_invalidate_all();                               -- drop every cached table

When to Prefer Functions Over Direct Table Writes

• Use rename_local() / set_local_type() when a function-shaped call is clearer than UPDATE decomp_lvars.
• Use parse_decls() for any C declaration import — it goes through Ghidra's CParser and avoids per-row INSERTs.
• Use save_database() explicitly after a mutation batch.

Critical Rules

• Function helpers do not replace the need to verify affected rows or pseudocode after mutation.
• Saving is explicit. Nothing auto-commits.
• Function-scope discipline still applies to decompiler-backed tables (pseudocode, decomp_lvars, decomp_tokens) even when you went through a helper function. Use func_addr; exact func_name is also pushed down for pseudocode and decomp_lvars reads.

Additional Resources

• Function families and examples: references/sql-functions.md