pgm

pgm - PostgreSQL Query Mapper

A lightweight ORM built on top of jackc/pgx database connection pool.

ORMs I Like in the Go Ecosystem

• ent
• sqlc

Why Not Use ent?

ent is a feature-rich ORM with schema definition, automatic migrations, integration with gqlgen (GraphQL server), and more. It provides nearly everything you could want in an ORM.

However, it can be overkill. The generated code supports a wide range of features, many of which you may not use, significantly increasing the compiled binary size.

Why Not Use sqlc?

sqlc is a great tool, but it often feels like the database layer introduces its own models. This forces you to either map your application’s models to these database models or use the database models directly, which may not align with your application’s design.

Issues with Existing ORMs

Here are some common pain points with ORMs:

• Auto Migrations: Many ORMs either lack robust migration support or implement complex methods for simple schema changes. This can obscure the database schema, making it harder to understand and maintain. A database schema should be defined in clear SQL statements that can be tested in a SQL query editor. Tools like dbmate provide a mature solution for managing migrations, usable via CLI or in code.

• Excessive Code Generation: ORMs often generate excessive code for various conditions and scenarios, much of which goes unused.

• Generated Models for Queries: Auto-generated models for SELECT queries force you to either adopt them or map them to your application’s models, adding complexity.

A Hybrid Approach: Plain SQL Queries with pgm

Plain SQL queries are not inherently bad but come with challenges:

• Schema Change Detection: Changes in the database schema are not easily detected.
• SQL Injection Risks: Without parameterized queries, SQL injection becomes a concern.

pgm addresses these issues by providing a lightweight CLI tool that generates Go files for your database schema. These files help you write SQL queries while keeping track of schema changes, avoiding hardcoded table and column names.

Generating pgm Schema Files

Run the following command to generate schema files:

go run code.partial.tech/go/pgm/cmd -o ./db ./schema.sql

once you have the schama files created you can use pgm as

package main

import (
    "code.partial.tech/go/pgm"
    "myapp/db/user" // scham  create by pgm/cmd
)

type MyModel struct {
    ID    string
    Email string
}

func main() {
    println("Initializing pgx connection pool")
    pgm.InitPool(pgm.Config{
        ConnString: url,
    })

    // Select query to fetch the first record
    // Assumes the schema is defined in the "db" package with a User table
    var v MyModel
    err := db.User.Select(user.ID, user.Email).
        Where(user.Email.Like("anki%")).
        First(context.TODO(), &v.ID, &v.Email)
    if err != nil {
        println("Error:", err.Error())
        return
    }

    println("User email:", v.Email)
}