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Version: 1.x

SurrealDB for SQL developers

Quickly learn how to map your SQL knowledge to corresponding SurrealDB concepts and syntax.

Introduction

As a multi-model database, SurrealDB offers a lot of flexibility. Our SQL-like query language SurrealQL is a good example of this, where we often have more than one way to achieve the same result, depending on developer preference. In this mapping guide, we will focus on the syntax that most closely resembles the ANSI Structured Query Language (SQL).

Concepts mapping

For more in-depth explanations of SurrealDB concepts, see the concepts page.

Relational databasesSurrealDB

database

database

table

table

row

record

column

field

index

index

primary key

record id

transactions

transactions

join

record links, embedding and graph relations

Syntax mapping

Let's get you up to speed with SurrealQL syntax with some CRUD examples.

Create

As relational databases are schemafull, only the SurrealQL schemafull approach is shown below. For a schemafull option see the define table page.

For more SurrealQL examples, see the create and insert pages.

SQLSurrealQL

CREATE TABLE person ( person_id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY, name varchar(255) ) // SERIAL is PosgresSQL syntax

DEFINE TABLE person SCHEMAFULL; DEFINE FIELD name ON TABLE person TYPE string; // record id field is defined by default

INSERT INTO person (name) VALUES ('John'), ('Jane')

INSERT INTO person (name) VALUES ('John'), ('Jane')

CREATE INDEX idx_name ON person (name)

DEFINE INDEX idx_name ON TABLE person COLUMNS name

Read

For more SurrealQL examples, see the select, live select and return pages.

SQLSurrealQL

SELECT * FROM person

SELECT * FROM person

SELECT name FROM person

SELECT name FROM person

SELECT name FROM person WHERE name = "Jane"

SELECT name FROM person WHERE name = "Jane"

EXPLAIN SELECT name FROM person WHERE name = "Jane"

SELECT name FROM person WHERE name = "Jane" EXPLAIN

SELECT count(*) AS person_count FROM person

SELECT count() AS person_count FROM person GROUP ALL

SELECT DISTINCT name FROM person

SELECT array::distinct(name) FROM person GROUP ALL

SELECT * FROM person LIMIT 10

SELECT * FROM person LIMIT 10

SELECT review.*, person.name as reviewer FROM review INNER JOIN review.person_id = person.id

SELECT *, person.name as reviewer FROM review

Update

For more SurrealQL examples, see the update page.

SQLSurrealQL

ALTER TABLE person ADD last_name varchar(255)

DEFINE FIELD last_name ON TABLE person TYPE string

UPDATE person SET last_name = "Doe" WHERE name = "Jane"

UPDATE person SET last_name = "Doe" WHERE name = "Jane"

ALTER TABLE person DROP COLUMN last_name

REMOVE FIELD last_name ON TABLE person

Delete

For more SurrealQL examples, see the delete and remove pages.

SQLSurrealQL

DELETE FROM person WHERE name = "Jane"

DELETE person WHERE name = "Jane"

DELETE FROM person

DELETE person

DROP TABLE person

REMOVE TABLE person