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RQL.NET

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RQL.NET is a resource query language for .NET intended for use with web apps. It provides a simple, hackable api for creating dynamic sql queries from user submitted JSON. It is intended to sit between a web application and a SQL based database. It converts user-submitted JSON query structures (inspired by mongodb query syntax) to sql queries, handling validation and type conversions. It was inspired by and is a port of rql (golang). Its primary purpose is to generate complex where clauses is_done = 1 OR (updated_at < X AND updated_at > Y) OR ... while validating their types.

rql.net diagram

Why

When creating a simple CRUD API it's often a requirement to provide basic collection filtering functionality. Without implementing some other heavy layer (graphql, odata, ef), usually, I would end up having to write code to support each field for a given class. A common solution is adding a query parameter for each field, and when using aggregate functions having a separate composite parameter for that aggregate ie ?updated_at_gt=x&updated_at_lt=y. Outside of that being cumbersome for lots of fields, this begins to totally breakdown when needing to apply a disjunction between two conditions using aggregate functions, something like SELECT * FROM TABLE WHERE is_done = 1 OR (updated_at < X AND updated_at > Y). So to deal with this I ported one of my favorite libraries from go. The result is a control point that validates types and range of filters as well as allowing the use to enter complex filters.

Getting Started

Basic

Client side json input:

var rqlExpression = {
  filter: {
    "isDone": 1,
    "$or":[
        {"updatedAt": {"$lt": "2020/01/02", "$gt":1577836800}},
      ],
  },
  limit : 1000,
  offset: 0,
  sort:["-updatedAt"],
}

C#:

var (dbExpression, errs) = RqlParser.Parse<TestClass>(rqlExpression);
if(errs != null) { /*handle me*/ }

Assert.True(dbExpression.Filter = "IsDone = @isDone AND ( UpdatedAt < @updatedAt AND UpdatedAt > @updatedAt2 )");
Assert.True(dbExpression.Limit == 1000);
Assert.True(dbExpression.Offset == 0);
Assert.True(dbExpression.Sort == "UpdatedAt DESC");
Assert.Equal(result.Parameters["@isDone"], true);
Assert.Equal(result.Parameters["@updatedAt"], new DateTime(2020, 01, 02));
Assert.Equal(result.Parameters["@updatedAt2"], new DateTime(2020, 01, 01));

Alternatives:

// Alternatively you can use a generic instance
IRqlParser<TestClass> genericParser = new RqlParser<TestClass>();
(dbExpression, err) = genericParser.Parse(rqlExpression);

// Alternatively you can use a non-generic instance
var classSpec = new ClassSpecBuilder().Build(typeof(TestClass));
IRqlParser parser = new RqlParser(classSpec);
(dbExpression, err) = parser.Parse(rqlExpression);

// Alternatively parse a `RqlExpression` object
var rqlExpression = new RqlExpression
{
  Filter = new Dictionary<string, object>()
  {
    ["isDone"] = 1,
    ["$or"] = new List<object>()
    {
      new Dictionary<string, object>(){
        ["updatedAt"] = new Dictionary<string,object>(){
            ["$lt"] = "2020/01/02",
            ["$gt"] = 1577836800
        }
      }
    },
  },
  Limit = 1000,
  Offset = 0,
  Sort = new List<string>() { "-updatedAt" },
};
(dbExpression, err) = RqlParser.Parse<TestClass>(rqlExpression);

Integration Examples

Web Api

[HttpPost("api/rql")]
public async void Rql([FromBody] dynamic rqlIn)
{
  var (dbExpression, _) = parser.Parse((rqlIn as object).ToString());
}

ADO Command

 using (var connection = await _connectionFactory.GetConnection())
using (SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand())
{
  command.CommandText = $"SELECT * FROM TestClass WHERE ${dbExpression.Filter} LIMIT ${dbExpression.Limit} OFFSET ${dbExpression.Offset} ORDER BY ${dbExpression.Sort}";
  command.Parameters.AddRange(dbExpression.Parameters.Select(x => new SqlParameter(x.Key, x.Value)).ToArray());
  using (var reader = command.ExecuteReader())
  {
      // do stuff
  }
}

Dapper

using (var connection = await _connectionFactory.GetConnection())
{
  connection.Open();
  var parameters = new DynamicParameters(dbExpression.Parameters);
  var sql = $"SELECT * FROM TestClass WHERE ${dbExpression.Filter} LIMIT ${dbExpression.Limit} OFFSET ${dbExpression.Offset} ORDER BY ${dbExpression.Sort}";
  var results = await connection.QueryAsync<TestClass>(sql, parameters);
  // do stuff
}

Dapper SimpleCRUD

using (var connection = await _connectionFactory.GetConnection())
{
  connection.Open();
  var parameters = new DynamicParameters(dbExpression.Parameters);
  var page = Utility.GetPage(dbExpression.Offset, dbExpression.Limit);
  var where = $"WHERE {dbExpression.Filter}";
  var results = (await connection.GetListPagedAsync<TestClass>(page,dbExpression.Limit, where, dbExpression.Sort, parameters)).ToList();
  // do stuff
}

Common Customizations

public class SomeClass
{
  // prevents operations
  [RQL.NET.Ops.Disallowed("$like", "$eq")]
  // overrides column namer
  [RQL.NET.ColumnName("type")]
  // overrides (json) namer
  [RQL.NET.FieldName("type")]
  // ignores entirely
  [RQL.NET.Ignore.Sort]
  // prevents sorting
  [RQL.NET.Ignore]
  // prevents filtering
  [RQL.NET.Ignore.Filter]
  public string SomeProp { get; set; }
}

RQL Operations

RQL Op SQL Op Json Types
$eq = number, string, bool
$neq != number, string, bool
$lt < number, bool
$gt > number, bool
$lte <= number, bool
$gte >= number, bool
$like like string[]
$in in number[], string[]
$nin nin number[], string[]
$or or []
$not not {}
$and and {}
$nor - n/a

Hackability

This library was structured to be a highly configurable parser. Most of the parser's components can be overridden directly or via a delegate or interface implementation via the Defaults class. Most notably Defaults.DefaultConverter and Defaults.DefaultValidator. Additionally, many of the data structures and internal builders are exposed to enable this package to be used as a library. You could also implement a custom class specification, field specification, and operation mapper to add pretty heavy customizations including custom types and operations.

public static class Defaults
{
    public static string SortSeparator = ",";
    public static string Prefix = "$";
    public static int Offset = 0;
    public static int Limit = 10000;
    public static Func<IParameterTokenizer> DefaultTokenizerFactory = () => new NamedTokenizer();
    public static Func<string, Type, object, IError> DefaultValidator = DefaultTypeValidator.Validate;
    public static Func<string, string> DefaultColumnNamer = x => x;
    public static Func<string, string> DefaultFieldNamer = x => {...};
    public static IOpMapper DefaultOpMapper = new SqlMapper();
    public static ClassSpecCache SpecCache = new InMemoryClassSpecCache();
    public static Func<string, Type, object, (object, IError)> DefaultConverter =
        (fieldName, type, raw) =>
        {
          ...
        };
}

Note on Performance

The parser uses reflection and by default it's done once per class and cached. Additionally when using the typed parse commands Parse<T>(RqlExpression exp) and Parse(RqlExpression exp) there is a redundant JSON serialization and then deserialization because this was built piggybacking off the JContainer tree structure from JSON.NET. To avoid this penalty use the Parse<T>(string exp) and Parse(string exp) calls.

Release TODO

  • better coverage
    • case: all attributes
    • case: all ops
  • fix stricter validation - right side init object is and, or/nor is array
  • fix empty object validation #1
  • typed more actionable errors
  • share/publish

vNext

See #6