intro
Let's learn everything you need to know about SQL query builder tools to start building queries visually through a point-and-click interface.
Tired of manually writing SQL queries? You have landed in the right place! A SQL query builder is a tool that helps you write queries programmatically in your code or visually in a GUI tool. This reduces the stress of having to know the ins and outs of SQL.
In this article, you will look at what SQL query builders are, how they work, what they offer, and how to use DbVisualizer's built-in visual query definition tool.
Let's dive in!
What Is an SQL Query Builder?
An SQL query builder is a programming library or visual software tool that simplifies the construction of SQL queries. It is aware in some way of the structure of a database and supports users with hints and procedures to help them write the query required to achieve their data extraction or manipulation goal.
Developers use query builder libraries to programmatically generate SQL queries in their code, giving access to a more structured and often more intuitive syntax. On the other hand, visual query builders are designed for both developers and non-technical users.
SQL query constructor tools offer a more abstract way of interacting with databases. In detail, they allow you to create complex queries without having to deal with the intricacies of SQL commands. They generally provide methods, functions, or visual procedures for constructing a query by assembling building blocks, such as selecting columns, specifying conditions, joining tables, sorting results, and grouping data.
Types of SQL Query Builders
Now that you know what SQL query constructors are, you should know that these tools can be categorized into two types:
Explore them both!
1. Query Builder Libraries
Query builder libraries are programming packages that support developers in building SQL queries within their code. When added to the project's dependencies, these libraries provide a set of functions that simplify SQL query building. Instead of a string, you can use them to write a query by concatenating several methods, as in the following JavaScript snippet:
1
const query = knex.select('id', 'name')
2
.from('users')
3
.where('age', '>', 18);
That is equivalent to:
1
SELECT id, name
2
FROM users
3
WHERE age > 18;
As you can see, query builder libraries offer an intuitive API to construct SQL queries rather than writing raw SQL strings.
2. Visual Query Builders
A visual SQL query builder is a graphical tool that allows users—even non-technical ones—to construct queries. These tools typically feature drag-and-drop or point-and-click interactions and deliver a no-code query definition experience.
After connecting blocks and selecting elements in the interface, users can retrieve the generated query code and run it to see the result. The main advantage of visual SQL query builders is that they connect to database systems, limiting the visual options to only those tables and columns currently available in the database schema.
In short, users connect to a database, drag tables onto a canvas, and select columns to build SQL queries visually. The tool generates SQL code behind the scenes based on user interactions, letting users explore data without manually writing SQL queries.
Features an SQL Builder Should Have
Whether it is a visual tool or a code library, a robust SQL query builder should offer a range of features to facilitate query construction. Here are the most important ones:
By providing these features, SQL query builders give you the ability to construct queries dynamically and efficiently while assuring database compatibility.
Building SQL Queries Visually in DbVisualizer
DbVisualizer is a top-rated database client that provides several features and supports dozens of different database technologies. Among the top-notch functionality it offers is a full-featured visual SQL builder.
As described on the official site “The query builder uses a point-and-click interface and does not require in-depth knowledge about the SQL syntax. The generated SQL may be configured to use the standardized JOIN syntax or WHERE conditions, delimited identifiers and qualifiers.”
Let's see how it can help you retrieve all the information about users who spent more than $100 in their first order on an e-commerce site. For the sake of simplicity, assume that the database is called ecommerce and contains only the following three tables:
This is what the ERD-like schema of the ecommerce database generated with DbVisualizer looks like:
Time to see DbVisualizer's built-in SQL query builder in action!
Download DbVisualizer, launch it, connect to your database, create a new SQL Commander tab, and click “Query Builder” on the right:
Reaching the Query Builder section
Note: The Query Builder feature is only available to Pro users.
The Query Builder view provides an area where dragging and dropping the tables you need to use in your query. In this case, it is all three tables:
As you can see, DbVisualizer automatically joins the table for you. Double-click the join block between tables if you want to customize the SQL JOIN type:
Popup to customize the JOIN type
In this example, the default INNER JOIN option is perfect. Resize the table cards to better see their columns and then select the columns you want your query to retrieve. These will appear in the “Columns” section at the bottom:
You also want to get the total order price, which can be obtained by applying the SUM
aggregate function to the following value:
1
orders.quantity*products.price
To define this custom column, click at the end of the “Column” section, type in the mathematical operation above, and select the SUM option in the “Aggregate” column:
Define some aliases by filling out the “Alias” columns and then select the columns to group data for (customers.id and orders.order_number ):
After clicking on the “Group By” check, the “Grouping” table will be enabled. That allows you to define conditions to filter the grouped records. We will need it soon. Now, click on the “Conditions” and define a condition to select only orders whose order_number is 1 as follows:
Similarly, reach the “Grouping” tab and define a condition of >100 for the total_price column:
Next, sort data in an ascending way by customers.id in the “Sorting” tab:
Wonderful! Your query is ready.Start the query by clicking the “Run” button on the top bar. Dbvisualizer will generate the query, copy it in the SQL Commander, and execute it:
You will get the following query:
1
SELECT
2
ecommerce.customers.id AS customer_id,
3
ecommerce.customers.first_name AS customer_first_name,
4
ecommerce.customers.last_name AS customer_last_name,
5
ecommerce.customers.email AS customer_email,
6
ecommerce.orders.order_number AS order_number,
7
SUM(orders.quantity*products.price) AS total_price
8
FROM
9
ecommerce.orders
10
INNER JOIN
11
ecommerce.customers
12
ON
13
(
14
ecommerce.orders.customer_id = ecommerce.customers.id)
15
INNER JOIN
16
ecommerce.products
17
ON
18
(
19
ecommerce.orders.product_id = ecommerce.products.id)
20
WHERE
21
ecommerce.orders.order_number = 1
22
GROUP BY
23
ecommerce.customers.id,
24
ecommerce.orders.order_number
25
HAVING
26
SUM(orders.quantity*products.price) > 100
27
ORDER BY customer_id ASC;
That would have taken a long time to write, wouldn't it? Thanks to DbVisualizer's Query Builder, it only took a few clicks!
Conclusion
In this guide, you have explored SQL query constructors. You understood the different natures these tools can have and how they support you in writing SQL queries. The best user experience would come from having such a tool built into the database client. That is why DbVisualizer offers a built-in query builder that even non-technical users can use. This is just one of the many features offered by this powerful database client. Try it for free today!
FAQ
Is there an SQL query builder online?
Yes, there are some SQL query builder online options like Draxlr and VisualSQL.
What is the most popular JavaScript SQL query builder?
With over 18k stars on GitHub and one million weekly downloads, Knex.js is probably the most popular JavaScript SQL query builder.
What is the difference between an ORM and a query builder?
An ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) tool maps database tables to programming language data structures or OO constructs, abstracting a database entirely. In contrast, a query builder supports users in building SQL queries programmatically, offering a higher level of control over the generated SQL. While ORMs provide a more abstract interface, query builders are more focused on a single task. Complete ORM libraries usually expose an API for query building.
What is the most popular library for building queries in Python?
PyPika, short for Python Query Builder, is probably the most popular Python SQL query builder library.
