SurrealDB | Documentation

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Python driver for

The SurrealDB library for Python enables simple and advanced querying of a remote database from a browser or from server-side code. By default connections to SurrealDB are made over WebSockets, and automatically reconnect when the connection is terminated. We however also support connecting through a http client, however that is not as fully implemented yet.

Install the library

First, install the SurrealDB library using pip:

pip install surrealdb

Alternatively, you can use install the SurrealDB library using poetry:

poetry add surrealdb

Connect to SurrealDB

Create a new surreal.py file and add the following code to try out some basic operations using the SurrealDB driver.

from surrealdb import Surreal

async def main():
    """Example of how to use the SurrealDB client."""
    async with Surreal("ws://localhost:8000/rpc") as db:
        await db.signin({"user": "root", "pass": "root"})
        await db.use("test", "test")
        await db.create(
            "person",
            {
                "user": "me",
                "pass": "safe",
                "marketing": True,
                "tags": ["python", "documentation"],
            },
        )
        print(await db.select("person"))
        print(await db.update("person", {
            "user":"you",
            "pass":"very_safe",
            "marketing": False,
            "tags": ["Awesome"]
        }))
        print(await db.delete("person"))

        # You can also use the query method 
        # doing all of the above and more in SurrealQl
        
        # In SurrealQL you can do a direct insert 
        # and the table will be created if it doesn't exist
        await db.query("""
        insert into person {
            user: 'me',
            pass: 'very_safe',
            tags: ['python', 'documentation']
        };
        
        """)
        print(await db.query("select * from person"))
        
        print(await db.query("""
        update person content {
            user: 'you',
            pass: 'more_safe',
            tags: ['awesome']
        };
        
        """))
        print(await db.query("delete person"))

if __name__ == "__main__":
    import asyncio

    asyncio.run(main())

Then run your app from the command line with:

python surreal.py

Alternatively, you can run it in a notebook like Jupyter or VS code

# %%
"""Example of how to use the SurrealDB client in a notebook"""

from surrealdb import Surreal

db = Surreal("http://localhost:8000")
await db.connect()
await db.signin({"user": "root", "pass": "root"})
await db.use("test", "test")

# %%
await db.create(
    "person",
    {
        "user": "me",
        "pass": "safe",
        "marketing": True,
        "tags": ["python", "documentation"],
    },
)

# %%
await db.select("person")

# %%
await db.update("person", {
    "user":"you",
    "pass":"very_safe",
    "marketing": False,
    "tags": ["Awesome"]
})

# %%
await db.delete("person")

Library methods

The Python library comes with a number of built-in functions.

Function	Description
`Surreal(url)` static	Surreal is a class that represents a Surreal server.
`db.connect()`	Connects to a local or remote database endpoint
`db.close()`	Closes the persistent connection to the database
`db.use(ns, db)`	Switch to a specific namespace and database
`db.signup(vars)`	Signs this connection up to a specific authentication scope
`db.signin(vars)`	Signs this connection in to a specific authentication scope
`db.invalidate()`	Invalidates the authentication for the current connection
`db.authenticate(token)`	Authenticates the current connection with a JWT token
`db.let(key, val)`	Assigns a value as a parameter for this connection
`db.query(sql, vars)`	Runs a set of SurrealQL statements against the database
`db.select(thing)`	Selects all records in a table, or a specific record
`db.create(thing, data)`	Creates a record in the database
`db.update(thing, data)`	Updates all records in a table, or a specific record
`db.merge(thing, data)`	Modifies by deep merging all records in a table, or a specific record, in the database
`db.patch(thing, data)`	Applies JSON Patch changes to all records in a table, or a specific record
`db.delete(thing)`	Deletes all records, or a specific record

`Surreal(url) / SurrealHTTP(url)`

Surreal is a class that represents a Surreal server.

The default way to connect is through WebSockets using Surreal(url)

If an http client is needed you can use SurrealHTTP(url) but be aware that it is currently not as stable and not as fully implemented.

The url is required in either the Surreal class or connect method

Arguments	Description
The url of the database endpoint to connect to.

# Connect to a local endpoint
db = Surreal()
await db.connect('http://127.0.0.1:8000/rpc')
# Connect to a remote endpoint
db = Surreal()
await db.connect('https://cloud.surrealdb.com/rpc')

`db.connect(url)`

Connects to a local or remote database endpoint.

The url is required in either the Surreal class or connect method

Arguments	Description
The url of the database endpoint to connect to.

# Connect to a local endpoint
db = Surreal()
await db.connect('http://127.0.0.1:8000/rpc')
# Connect to a remote endpoint
db = Surreal()
await db.connect('https://cloud.surrealdb.com/rpc')

`db.close()`

Closes the persistent connection to the database.

db.close()

`db.use(ns, db)`

Switch to a specific namespace and database.

Arguments	Description
`ns` Required	Switches to a specific namespace.
`db` Required	Switches to a specific database.

await db.use('test', 'test')

`db.signup(vars)`

Signs up to a specific authentication scope.

Arguments	Description
`vars` Required	Variables used in a signup query.

token = await db.signup({
	'NS': 'test',
	'DB': 'test',
	'SC': 'user',
	'email': 'info@surrealdb.com',
	'pass': '123456',
})

`db.signin(vars)`

Signs in to a specific authentication scope.

Arguments	Description
`vars` Required	Variables used in a signin query.

token = await db.signin({
	'user': 'root',
	'pass': 'root',
})

`db.invalidate()`

Invalidates the authentication for the current connection.

await db.invalidate()

`db.authenticate(token)`

Authenticates the current connection with a JWT token.

Arguments	Description
`token` Required	The JWT authentication token.

await db.authenticate('eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpc3MiOiJTdXJyZWFsREIiLCJpYXQiOjE1MTYyMzkwMjIsIm5iZiI6MTUxNjIzOTAyMiwiZXhwIjoxODM2NDM5MDIyLCJOUyI6InRlc3QiLCJEQiI6InRlc3QiLCJTQyI6InVzZXIiLCJJRCI6InVzZXI6dG9iaWUifQ.N22Gp9ze0rdR06McGj1G-h2vu6a6n9IVqUbMFJlOxxA')

`db.let(key, val)`

Assigns a value as a parameter for this connection.

Arguments	Description
`key` Required	Specifies the name of the variable.
`val` Required	Assigns the value to the variable name.

# Assign the variable on the connection
         await db.let("name", {
             "first": "Tobie",
             "last": "Morgan Hitchcock",
         })
# Use the variable in a subsequent query
await db.query('CREATE person SET name = $name')
# Use the variable in a subsequent query
await db.query('SELECT * FROM person WHERE name.first = $name.first')

`db.query(sql, vars)`

Runs a set of SurrealQL statements against the database.

Arguments	Description
`sql` Required	Specifies the SurrealQL statements.
`vars` Optional	Assigns variables which can be used in the query.

# Assign the variable on the connection
result = await db.query('CREATE person; SELECT * FROM type::table($tb)', {
	'tb': 'person',
})
# Get the first result from the first query
result[0]['result'][0]
# Get all of the results from the second query
result[1]['result']

`db.select(thing)`

Selects all records in a table, or a specific record, from the database.

Arguments	Description
`thing` Required	The table name or a record ID to select.

# Select all records from a table
people = await db.select('person')
# Select a specific record from a table
person = await db.select('person:h5wxrf2ewk8xjxosxtyc')

This function will run the following query in the database:

SELECT * FROM $thing;

`db.create(thing, data)`

Creates a record in the database.

Arguments	Description
`thing` Required	The table name or the specific record ID to create.
`data` Optional	The document / record data to insert.

# Create a record with a random ID
person = await db.create('person')
# Create a record with a specific ID
record = await db.create('person:tobie', {
	'name': 'Tobie',
	'settings': {
		'active': true,
		'marketing': true,
	},
})

This function will run the following query in the database:

CREATE $thing CONTENT $data;

`db.update(thing, data)`

Updates all records in a table, or a specific record, in the database.

This function replaces the current document / record data with the specified data.

Arguments	Description
`thing` Required	The table name or the specific record ID to update.
`data` Optional	The document / record data to insert.

# Update all records in a table
people = await db.update('person')
# Update a record with a specific ID
person = await db.update('person:tobie', {
	'name': 'Tobie',
	'settings': {
		'active': true,
		'marketing': true,
	},
})

This function will run the following query in the database:

UPDATE $thing CONTENT $data;

`db.merge(thing, data)`

Modifies by deep merging all records in a table, or a specific record, in the database.

This function merges the current document / record data with the specified data.

Arguments	Description
`thing` Required	The table name or the specific record ID to change
`data` Optional	The document / record data to insert.

# Update all records in a table
people = await db.change('person', {
	updated_at: new Date(),
})
# Update a record with a specific ID
         person = await db.change('person:tobie', {
             'updated_at': datetime.datetime.utcnow(),
             'settings': {
                 'active': True,
                 },
             })

This function will run the following query in the database:

UPDATE $thing MERGE $data;

`db.patch(thing, data)`

Applies JSON Patch changes to all records, or a specific record, in the database.

This function patches the current document / record data with the specified JSON Patch data.

Arguments	Description
`thing` Required	The table name or the specific record ID to modify.
`data` Optional	The JSON Patch data with which to modify the records.

# Update all records in a table
people = await db.modify('person', [
	{ 'op': "replace", 'path': "/created_at", 'value': str(datetime.datetime.utcnow()) },
])
# Update a record with a specific ID
person = await db.modify('person:tobie', [
             { 'op': "replace", 'path': "/settings/active", 'value': False },
             { 'op': "add", "path": "/tags", "value": ["developer", "engineer"] },
             { 'op': "remove", "path": "/temp" },
])

This function will run the following query in the database:

UPDATE $thing PATCH $data;

`db.delete(thing)`

Deletes all records in a table, or a specific record, from the database.

Arguments	Description
`thing` Required	The table name or a record ID to select.

# Delete all records from a table
await db.delete('person')
# Delete a specific record from a table
await db.delete('person:h5wxrf2ewk8xjxosxtyc')

This function will run the following query in the database:

DELETE * FROM $thing;