[StackOverflow/go] Is it possible to make a flexible/dynamic query with sqlc?

### ROOT CAUSE sqlc generates static SQL queries based on predefined query files. It does not dynamically build queries at runtime, so queries must be explicitly defined in the `.sql` files. The issue arises because the user expects flexibility to construct queries conditionally (e.g., optional parameters, dynamic columns) but sqlc's design requires fixed query structures. --- ### CODE FIX To handle dynamic queries in sqlc, use **conditional logic within the SQL query file** and **pass parameters conditionally in Go**. Here's how: #### 1. **Define a Query with Optional Parts** Modify your SQL query file to conditionally include parts based on input parameters. Use `{{ if }}` logic in the query template: ```sql // query.sql select id, name, email, age from users {{ if .Where }} where {{ .Where }} {{ end }} limit 1 ``` #### 2. **Pass Parameters Conditionally in Go** In your Go code, pass a `Where` field only when needed: ```go // params.go type GetUserParams struct { Where *string `sql:"where"` // Pointer to conditionally include // Other fields... } // Usage params := &GetUserParams{ Where: sqlc.ExprIfNotNil("age > ?", 30), } user, err := db.GetUser(ctx, params) ``` #### 3. **Handle Dynamic Columns (Optional)** For column selection, define multiple queries or use `*` (if your SQL dialect supports it). For PostgreSQL, use `select (jsonb_build_object(...) || ...)` to dynamically select columns. #### 4. **Workaround for Advanced Cases** For highly dynamic queries (e.g., arbitrary conditions), generate the SQL string in Go and execute it directly using `db.ExecContext()` bypassing sqlc's query generation. This is less type-safe but flexible. ```go // Bypass sqlc for dynamic queries query := `select id, name from users where ?` _, err := db.ExecContext(ctx, query, params) ``` #### Key Notes: - sqlc’s `{{ if }}` directives work for SQL-level conditionals but not for arbitrary query structure changes. - Always validate dynamic inputs to prevent SQL injection. - For complex cases, balance between sqlc’s type-safety and Go’s flexibility by reserving dynamic parts to Go.