MySQL Query Builders - Drizzle ORM

Drizzle ORM provides type-safe query builders for all MySQL operations. Each query builder provides a fluent API with method chaining.

Select Query Builder

MySqlSelectBuilder

Builds SELECT queries with support for joins, filters, ordering, and aggregations.

from()

Specifies the table or subquery to select from.

from<TFrom extends MySqlTable | Subquery | MySqlViewBase | SQL>(
  source: TFrom,
  onIndex?: IndexConfig
): MySqlSelectBase

source

MySqlTable | Subquery | MySqlViewBase | SQL

required

The table, view, subquery, or SQL expression to select from.

onIndex

IndexConfig

Index hints for query optimization (only for tables).

Examples

// Select from table
const users = await db.select().from(users);

// Select from subquery
const sq = db.select({ id: users.id }).from(users).as('sq');
const result = await db.select().from(sq);

// With index hints
const result = await db.select()
  .from(users, {
    useIndex: 'email_idx',
    forceIndex: ['name_idx', 'created_idx']
  });

where()

Adds WHERE clause filters to the query.

where(condition: SQL | undefined): this

Examples

import { eq, and, or, gt, like } from 'drizzle-orm';

// Simple condition
const result = await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .where(eq(users.id, 1));

// Multiple conditions with AND
const result = await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .where(and(
    eq(users.status, 'active'),
    gt(users.age, 18)
  ));

// OR conditions
const result = await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .where(or(
    eq(users.role, 'admin'),
    eq(users.role, 'moderator')
  ));

// Pattern matching
const result = await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .where(like(users.email, '%@example.com'));

orderBy()

Orders the results by one or more columns.

orderBy(...columns: (MySqlColumn | SQL)[]): this

Examples

import { asc, desc } from 'drizzle-orm';

// Single column ascending
await db.select().from(users).orderBy(users.name);

// Descending order
await db.select().from(users).orderBy(desc(users.createdAt));

// Multiple columns
await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .orderBy(asc(users.lastName), desc(users.firstName));

// With SQL expression
await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .orderBy(sql`LENGTH(${users.name})`);

limit()

Limits the number of rows returned.

limit(limit: number | Placeholder): this

Examples

// Fixed limit
await db.select().from(users).limit(10);

// With prepared statement
const stmt = db.select().from(users).limit(sql.placeholder('limit')).prepare();
await stmt.execute({ limit: 10 });

offset()

Skips a number of rows before returning results.

offset(offset: number | Placeholder): this

Examples

// Pagination
await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .limit(20)
  .offset(40); // Skip first 40, return next 20

// Dynamic offset
const page = 3;
const pageSize = 20;
await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .limit(pageSize)
  .offset((page - 1) * pageSize);

groupBy()

Groups results by one or more columns.

groupBy(...columns: (MySqlColumn | SQL)[]): this

Examples

import { sql, count } from 'drizzle-orm';

// Group by single column
const result = await db.select({
  role: users.role,
  count: count()
})
.from(users)
.groupBy(users.role);

// Group by multiple columns
const result = await db.select({
  country: users.country,
  city: users.city,
  count: count()
})
.from(users)
.groupBy(users.country, users.city);

having()

Filters grouped results (use after groupBy).

having(condition: SQL | undefined): this

Examples

import { sql, count, gt } from 'drizzle-orm';

const result = await db.select({
  role: users.role,
  count: count()
})
.from(users)
.groupBy(users.role)
.having(gt(count(), 5)); // Only groups with more than 5 users

Joins

innerJoin()

Performs an INNER JOIN.

innerJoin<TJoinedTable>(
  table: TJoinedTable,
  on: SQL
): this

Examples

import { eq } from 'drizzle-orm';

const result = await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .innerJoin(posts, eq(users.id, posts.authorId));

// Multiple joins
const result = await db.select({
  user: users,
  post: posts,
  category: categories
})
.from(users)
.innerJoin(posts, eq(users.id, posts.authorId))
.innerJoin(categories, eq(posts.categoryId, categories.id));

leftJoin()

Performs a LEFT JOIN (includes all rows from left table).

leftJoin<TJoinedTable>(
  table: TJoinedTable,
  on: SQL
): this

Examples

// Get all users with their posts (if any)
const result = await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .leftJoin(posts, eq(users.id, posts.authorId));

rightJoin()

Performs a RIGHT JOIN (includes all rows from right table).

rightJoin<TJoinedTable>(
  table: TJoinedTable,
  on: SQL
): this

fullJoin()

Performs a FULL OUTER JOIN.

fullJoin<TJoinedTable>(
  table: TJoinedTable,
  on: SQL
): this

Locking

for()

Adds locking clause (FOR UPDATE or FOR SHARE).

for(strength: 'update' | 'share', config?: {
  noWait?: boolean;
  skipLocked?: boolean;
  of?: MySqlTable;
}): this

Examples

// FOR UPDATE (exclusive lock)
const user = await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .where(eq(users.id, 1))
  .for('update');

// FOR SHARE (shared lock)
const user = await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .where(eq(users.id, 1))
  .for('share');

// With NOWAIT
const user = await db.select()
  .from(users)
  .where(eq(users.id, 1))
  .for('update', { noWait: true });

// With SKIP LOCKED
const jobs = await db.select()
  .from(queue)
  .where(eq(queue.status, 'pending'))
  .limit(10)
  .for('update', { skipLocked: true });

Set Operations

union()

Combines results from multiple queries (removes duplicates).

union<T extends MySqlSelect>(
  ...queries: T[]
): MySqlSelectWithout<this, 'union' | 'unionAll' | 'intersect' | 'except'>

Examples

const activeUsers = db.select().from(users).where(eq(users.status, 'active'));
const premiumUsers = db.select().from(users).where(eq(users.plan, 'premium'));

const result = await activeUsers.union(premiumUsers);

unionAll()

Combines results from multiple queries (keeps duplicates).

unionAll<T extends MySqlSelect>(
  ...queries: T[]
): MySqlSelectWithout<this, 'union' | 'unionAll' | 'intersect' | 'except'>

intersect()

Returns only rows that appear in all queries.

intersect<T extends MySqlSelect>(
  ...queries: T[]
): MySqlSelectWithout<this, 'union' | 'unionAll' | 'intersect' | 'except'>

except()

Returns rows from first query that don’t appear in subsequent queries.

except<T extends MySqlSelect>(
  ...queries: T[]
): MySqlSelectWithout<this, 'union' | 'unionAll' | 'intersect' | 'except'>

Insert Query Builder

MySqlInsertBuilder

Builds INSERT queries with support for bulk inserts and conflict handling.

values()

Specifies the values to insert.

values(value: InsertValue): MySqlInsertBase
values(values: InsertValue[]): MySqlInsertBase

Examples

// Insert single row
await db.insert(users).values({
  name: 'John',
  email: '[email protected]'
});

// Insert multiple rows
await db.insert(users).values([
  { name: 'John', email: '[email protected]' },
  { name: 'Jane', email: '[email protected]' }
]);

// With SQL expressions
await db.insert(users).values({
  name: 'John',
  createdAt: sql`NOW()`
});

select()

Inserts data from a SELECT query.

select(selectQuery: MySqlSelect | ((qb: QueryBuilder) => MySqlSelect)): MySqlInsertBase

Examples

// Insert from select
await db.insert(archivedUsers)
  .select(db.select().from(users).where(eq(users.archived, true)));

// With query builder
await db.insert(userBackup)
  .select((qb) => qb.select().from(users));

ignore()

Ignores duplicate key errors.

ignore(): this

Examples

await db.insert(users)
  .ignore()
  .values({ id: 1, name: 'John' });
// Will not throw error if id=1 already exists

onDuplicateKeyUpdate()

Updates rows on duplicate key.

onDuplicateKeyUpdate(config: {
  set: UpdateSet;
  where?: SQL;
}): this

Examples

import { sql } from 'drizzle-orm';

// Update on duplicate
await db.insert(users)
  .values({ id: 1, name: 'John', loginCount: 1 })
  .onDuplicateKeyUpdate({
    set: { loginCount: sql`${users.loginCount} + 1` }
  });

// Conditional update
await db.insert(users)
  .values({ id: 1, name: 'John' })
  .onDuplicateKeyUpdate({
    set: { name: sql`VALUES(name)` },
    where: sql`${users.updatedAt} < NOW()`
  });

Update Query Builder

MySqlUpdateBuilder

Builds UPDATE queries with filtering and ordering.

set()

Specifies the values to update.

set(values: UpdateSet): MySqlUpdateBase

Examples

// Update single column
await db.update(users)
  .set({ name: 'John Updated' })
  .where(eq(users.id, 1));

// Update multiple columns
await db.update(users)
  .set({
    name: 'John',
    email: '[email protected]',
    updatedAt: new Date()
  })
  .where(eq(users.id, 1));

// With SQL expressions
await db.update(users)
  .set({
    loginCount: sql`${users.loginCount} + 1`,
    lastLogin: sql`NOW()`
  })
  .where(eq(users.id, 1));

where()

Filters which rows to update.

where(condition: SQL): this

Always use where() with updates unless you intend to update all rows.

Examples

// Update specific row
await db.update(users)
  .set({ status: 'inactive' })
  .where(eq(users.id, 1));

// Update multiple rows
await db.update(users)
  .set({ status: 'inactive' })
  .where(gt(users.lastLogin, sql`DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 1 YEAR)`));

orderBy()

Orders the rows before updating (used with LIMIT).

orderBy(...columns: (MySqlColumn | SQL)[]): this

limit()

Limits the number of rows to update.

limit(limit: number | Placeholder): this

Examples

// Update only first 10 matching rows
await db.update(users)
  .set({ verified: true })
  .where(eq(users.verified, false))
  .orderBy(users.createdAt)
  .limit(10);

Delete Query Builder

MySqlDeleteBase

Builds DELETE queries with filtering.

where()

Filters which rows to delete.

where(condition: SQL): this

Always use where() with deletes unless you intend to delete all rows.

Examples

import { eq, and, lt, sql } from 'drizzle-orm';

// Delete specific row
await db.delete(users).where(eq(users.id, 1));

// Delete multiple rows
await db.delete(users)
  .where(eq(users.status, 'deleted'));

// Delete with complex conditions
await db.delete(logs)
  .where(and(
    lt(logs.createdAt, sql`DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 30 DAY)`),
    eq(logs.level, 'debug')
  ));

orderBy()

Orders rows before deletion (used with LIMIT).

orderBy(...columns: (MySqlColumn | SQL)[]): this

limit()

Limits the number of rows to delete.

limit(limit: number | Placeholder): this

Examples

// Delete oldest 100 logs
await db.delete(logs)
  .orderBy(logs.createdAt)
  .limit(100);

// Delete specific count
await db.delete(tempData)
  .where(eq(tempData.processed, true))
  .limit(1000);

Query Execution

All query builders support these execution methods:

execute()

Executes the query and returns the result.

await db.select().from(users).execute();

prepare()

Prepares a query for reuse with different parameters.

const stmt = db.select()
  .from(users)
  .where(eq(users.id, sql.placeholder('id')))
  .prepare();

await stmt.execute({ id: 1 });
await stmt.execute({ id: 2 });

then()

Query builders are thenable, so you can await them directly.

const users = await db.select().from(users);

Subqueries

as()

Converts a query into a subquery with an alias.

const sq = db.select({ id: users.id, name: users.name })
  .from(users)
  .as('sq');

const result = await db.select()
  .from(sq)
  .where(eq(sq.id, 1));

Type Safety

All query builders maintain full type safety:

const result = await db.select({
  id: users.id,
  name: users.name
}).from(users);

// result is typed as: { id: number; name: string }[]

const user = result[0];
user.id;   // number
user.name; // string
user.email; // Error: Property 'email' does not exist

PostgreSQL

MySQL

SQLite

Core APIs

Drizzle Kit

​Select Query Builder

​MySqlSelectBuilder

​from()

​Examples

​where()

​Examples

​orderBy()

​Examples

​limit()

​Examples

​offset()

​Examples

​groupBy()

​Examples

​having()

​Examples

​Joins

​innerJoin()

​Examples

​leftJoin()

​Examples

​rightJoin()

​fullJoin()

​Locking

​for()

​Examples

​Set Operations

​union()

​Examples

​unionAll()

​intersect()

​except()

​Insert Query Builder

​MySqlInsertBuilder

​values()

​Examples

​select()

​Examples

​ignore()

​Examples

​onDuplicateKeyUpdate()

​Examples

​Update Query Builder

​MySqlUpdateBuilder

​set()

​Examples

​where()

​Examples

​orderBy()

​limit()

​Examples

​Delete Query Builder

​MySqlDeleteBase

​where()

​Examples

​orderBy()

​limit()

​Examples

​Query Execution

​execute()

​prepare()

​then()

​Subqueries

​as()

​Type Safety

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Select Query Builder

MySqlSelectBuilder

from()

Examples

where()

Examples

orderBy()

Examples

limit()

Examples

offset()

Examples

groupBy()

Examples

having()

Examples

Joins

innerJoin()

Examples

leftJoin()

Examples

rightJoin()

fullJoin()

Locking

for()

Examples

Set Operations

union()

Examples

unionAll()

intersect()

except()

Insert Query Builder

MySqlInsertBuilder

values()

Examples

select()

Examples

ignore()

Examples

onDuplicateKeyUpdate()

Examples

Update Query Builder

MySqlUpdateBuilder

set()

Examples

where()

Examples

orderBy()

limit()

Examples

Delete Query Builder

MySqlDeleteBase

where()

Examples

orderBy()

limit()

Examples

Query Execution

execute()

prepare()

then()

Subqueries

as()

Type Safety