Korma
A Clojure library for building and executing SQL queries with a composable, functional DSL.
What is Korma?
Korma is a SQL domain-specific language for Clojure that provides a functional, composable way to build and execute database queries. It allows developers to interact with relational databases using Clojure data structures and functions, avoiding raw SQL strings and improving code maintainability. The library supports features like entity definitions, relationships, and expressive query conditions.
Clojure developers working with relational databases who want a functional, idiomatic way to construct SQL queries without writing raw SQL strings.
Developers choose Korma for its seamless integration with Clojure's functional programming style, offering a composable DSL that makes complex query generation straightforward and maintainable compared to string-based SQL or heavier ORMs.
Overview
Tasty SQL for Clojure.
Use Cases
Best For
- Building composable SQL queries in Clojure applications
- Interacting with PostgreSQL or other JDBC databases functionally
- Defining database entities and relationships with Clojure data structures
- Writing maintainable database code without raw SQL strings
- Constructing complex query conditions with Clojure expressions
- Functional programming enthusiasts needing a lightweight SQL DSL
Not Ideal For
- Projects requiring complex, vendor-specific SQL features not abstracted by the DSL
- Teams that prioritize raw SQL for full control and transparency over query execution
- High-performance applications where DSL abstraction might add latency or overhead
- Environments using non-JDBC databases or needing extensive ORM-like features
Pros & Cons
Pros
Allows building SQL queries through functional composition, enabling chained operations like where, order, and limit for complex SQL generation without raw strings, as shown in the README examples.
Treats SQL queries as Clojure data structures, avoiding raw SQL strings and improving maintainability by integrating with functional programming principles, making code more expressive.
Supports Clojure expressions for where clauses, including or, and, like, and not=, providing flexible query construction directly in code, as demonstrated in the condition examples.
Enables defining database tables as entities with relationships like has-one, facilitating structured data modeling and automatic JOIN handling, simplifying data access patterns.
Cons
The current version is 0.5.0-RC1 as of 2018, indicating it's not yet stable and may have bugs or breaking changes, posing risks for production deployments.
Requires additional dependencies like log4j and configuration to manage verbose logging, adding overhead to project initialization and maintenance, as noted in the README.
Documentation is hosted externally (sqlkorma.com) and may be outdated; the project's slow development pace suggests limited community updates and support for modern SQL features.
Frequently Asked Questions
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