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SQL Resources

The sqlspec package defines the resource types used to describe an SQL database schema. Used with the Atlas HCL syntax, it is easy to compose documents describing the desired state of a SQL database.

Schema​

The schema object describes a database schema. A DATABASE in MySQL and SQLite, or a SCHEMA in PostgreSQL. An HCL file can contain 1 or more schema objects.

In MySQL and MariaDB, the schema resource can contain the charset and collate attributes. Read more about them in MySQL or MariaDB websites.

# Schema with attributes.
schema "market" {
  charset = "utf8mb4"
  collate = "utf8mb4_0900_ai_ci"
  comment = "A schema comment"
}

# Schema without attributes.
schema "orders" {}

Table​

A table describes a table in a SQL database. A table hold its columns, indexes, constraints, and additional attributes that are supported by the different drivers.

table "users" {
  schema = schema.public
  column "id" {
    type = int
  }
  column "name" {
    type = varchar(255)
  }
  column "manager_id" {
    type = int
  }
  primary_key {
    columns = [
      column.id
    ]
  }
  index "idx_name" {
    columns = [
      column.name
    ]
    unique = true
  }
  foreign_key "manager_fk" {
    columns = [column.manager_id]
    ref_columns = [column.id]
    on_delete = CASCADE
    on_update = NO_ACTION
  }
}

Check​

A check is a child resource of a table that describes a CHECK constraint.

table "products" {
    column "price" {
        type = float
    }
    check "positive price" {
        expr = "price > 0"
    }
}

Partitions​

Table partitioning refers to splitting logical large tables into smaller physical ones.

note

Atlas currently only supports PostgreSQL. Support for the remaining dialects will be added in future versions.

table "logs" {
  schema = schema.public
  column "date" {
    type = date
  }
  column "text" {
    type = integer
  }
  partition {
    type = RANGE
    columns = [column.date]
  }
}

table "metrics" {
  schema = schema.public
  column "x" {
    type = integer
  }
  column "y" {
    type = integer
  }
  partition {
    type = RANGE
    by {
      column = column.x
    }
    by {
      expr = "floor(y)"
    }
  }
}

Table Qualification​

In some cases, an Atlas DDL document may contain multiple tables of the same name. This usually happens when the same table name appears in two different schemas. In these cases, the table names must be disambiguated by using resource qualifers. The following document describes a database that contains two schemas named a and b, and both of them contain a table named users.

schema "a" {}
schema "b" {}

table "a" "users" {
  schema = schema.a
  // .. columns
}
table "b" "users" {
  schema = schema.b
  // .. columns
}

Column​

A column is a child resource of a table.

column "name" {
  type = text
  null = false
}

column "age" {
  type = integer
  default = 42
}

column "active" {
  type = tinyint(1)
  default = true
}

Properties​

NameKindTypeDescription
nullattributeboolDefines whether the column is nullable.
typeattribute*schemahcl.TypeDefines the type of data that can be stored in the column.
defaultattribute*schemahcl.LiteralValueDefines the default value of the column.

Generated Columns​

Generated columns are columns whose their values are computed using other columns or by deterministic expressions.

table "users" {
  schema = schema.test
  column "a" {
    type = int
  }
  column "b" {
    type = int
    # In MySQL, generated columns are VIRTUAL by default.
    as = "a * 2"
  }
  column "c" {
    type = int
    as {
      expr = "a * b"
      type = STORED
    }
  }
}
info

Note, it is recommended to use the --dev-url option when generated columns are used.

Column Types​

The SQL dialects supported by Atlas (Postgres, MySQL, MariaDB, and SQLite) vary in the types they support. At this point, the Atlas DDL does not attempt to abstract away the differences between various databases. This means that the schema documents are tied to a specific database engine and version. This may change in a future version of Atlas as we plan to add "Virtual Types" support. This section lists the various types that are supported in each database.

For a full list of supported column types, click here.

Primary Key​

A primary_key is a child resource of a table, and it defines the table's primary key.

Example​

primary_key {
  columns = [column.id]
}

Properties​

NameKindTypeDescription
columnsresourcereference (list)A list of references to columns that comprise the primary key.

Foreign Key​

Foreign keys are child resources of a table, and it defines some columns in the table as references to columns in other tables.

Example​

schema.hcl
table "users" {
  schema = schema.public
  column "id" {
    type = integer
  }
  primary_key {
    columns = [column.id]
  }
}

table "orders" {
  schema = schema.market
  // ...
  column "owner_id" {
    type = integer
  }
  foreign_key "owner_id" {
    columns     = [column.owner_id]
    ref_columns = [table.users.column.id]
    on_update   = NO_ACTION
    on_delete   = NO_ACTION
  }
}

Referencing Qualified Tables​

If a foreign key references a column in a qualified table, it is referenced using table.<qualifier>.<table_name>.column.<column_name>:

schema.hcl
table "public" "users" {
  schema = schema.public
  column "id" {
    type = integer
  }
  primary_key {
    columns = [column.id]
  }
}

table "admin" "users" {
  schema = schema.admin
  // ...
  column "external_id" {
    type = integer
  }
  foreign_key "external_id" {
    columns     = [column.external_id]
    ref_columns = [table.admin.users.column.id]
    on_update   = NO_ACTION
    on_delete   = NO_ACTION
  }
}

Properties​

NameKindTypeDescription
columnsattributereference (list)The columns that reference other columns.
ref_columnsattributereference (list)The referenced columns.
on_updateattributeschema.ReferenceOptionDefines what to do on update.
on_deleteattributeschema.ReferenceOptionDefines what to do on delete.

Index​

Indexes are child resources of a table, and it defines an index on the table.

Example​

index "idx_name" {
    columns = [
      column.name
    ]
    unique = true
}

index "idx_name" {
    on {
        column = column.rank
    }
    on {
        column = column.score
        desc = true
    }
    unique = true
}

index "idx_name" {
  type = GIN
  columns = [column.data]
}

index "idx_range" {
  type = BRIN
  columns = [column.range]
  page_per_range = 128
}

index "idx_include" {
  columns = [column.range]
  include = [column.version]
}

index "idx_operator_class" {
  type = GIN
  on {
    column = column.j
    ops    = jsonb_path_ops
  }
}

Properties​

NameKindTypeDescription
uniqueattributebooleanDefines whether a uniqueness constraint is set on the index.
typeattributeIndexType (enum)Defines the index type. e.g. HASH, GIN, FULLTEXT.
columnsattributereference (list)The columns that comprise the index.
onresourceschema.IndexPart (list)The index parts that comprise the index.
optionsattributeschema.AttrAdditional driver specific attributes. e.g. page_per_range

Index Expressions​

Index expressions allow setting indexes over functions or computed expressions. Supported by PostgreSQL, SQLite and MySQL8.

table "t" {
  schema = schema.test
  column "c1" {
    type = int
  }
  column "c2" {
    type = int
  }
  index "i" {
    on {
      expr = "c1 - c2"
    }
    on {
      expr = "c2 - c1"
    }
  }
}
info

Note, it is recommended to use the --dev-url option when index expressions are used.

Partial Indexes​

Partial indexes allow setting indexes over subset of the table. Supported by PostgreSQL and SQLite.

table "t" {
  schema = schema.public
  column "b" {
    type = bool
  }
  column "c" {
    type = int
  }
  index "i" {
    columns = [column.c]
    where = "b AND c > 0"
  }
}
info

Note, it is recommended to use the --dev-url option when partial indexes are used.

Index Prefixes​

Index prefixes allow setting an index on the first N characters of string columns. Supported by MySQL and MariaDB.

table "users" {
  schema = schema.test
  column "name" {
    type = varchar(255)
  }
  index "user_name" {
    on {
      column = column.name
      prefix = 128
    }
  }
}

Comment​

The comment attribute is an attribute of schema, table, column, and index.

schema "public" {
    comment = "A schema comment"
}

table "users" {
    schema = schema.public
    column "name" {
        type    = text
        comment = "A column comment"
    }
    index "name_idx" {
        columns = [column.name]
    }
    comment = "A table comment"
}

Charset and Collation​

The charset and collate are attributes of schema, table and column and supported by MySQL, MariaDB and PostgreSQL. Read more about them in MySQL, MariaDB and PostgreSQL websites.

schema "public" {
    charset = "utf8mb4"
    collate = "utf8mb4_0900_ai_ci"
}

table "products" {
    column "name" {
        type    = text
        collate = "binary"
    }
    collate = "utf8_general_ci"
}

Auto Increment​

AUTO_INCREMENT and IDENTITY columns are attributes of the column and table resource, and can be used to generate a unique identity for new rows.

In MySQL/MariaDB the auto_increment attribute can be set on columns and tables.

table "users" {
  schema = schema.public
  column "id" {
    null = false
    type = bigint
    auto_increment = true
  }
  primary_key  {
    columns = [column.id]
  }
}

The auto_increment column can be set on the table to configure a start value other than 1.

table "users" {
  schema = schema.public
  column "id" {
    null = false
    type = bigint
    auto_increment = true
  }
  primary_key  {
    columns = [column.id]
  }
  auto_increment = 100
}