sineQL

sineQL is a web API query language that mimics graphQL, designed solely for fun.

sineQL consists of two languages - the schema language, and the query language. sineQL assumes that the records are related in a non-looping tree-structure, defined by the schema language. Also, each non-scalar type queried is returned as an array.

The handler's definition is left up to the user.

Feature List

• Easy to use schema language
• Easy to use query language
• Simple to set-up a server
• Each top-level keyword (and queries) is optional
• No package dependencies

Live Demo

Using the following schema:

type Weather {
	String city
	Float latitude
	Float longitude

	String last_updated
	Float temp_c
	Float temp_f
	String condition
	Float wind_mph
	Float wind_kph
	String wind_dir
}

You can match any city OR any latitude + longitude, then query any of the other fields.

curl sineql-demo.krgamestudios.com/sineql -L -X POST -H "Content-Type: text/plain" -d 'Weather { match city "Sydney" temp_c condition }'

Example Server

A simple express server using sineQL.

//express for testing
const express = require('express');
const app = express();

//uses text input
app.use(express.text());

//test the library
const sineQL = require('sineql');
const schema = require('./schema.js');
const queryHandlers = require('./query-handlers.js');

//omit 'createHandlers', 'updateHandlers' or 'deleteHandlers' to disable those methods
const sine = sineQL(schema, { queryHandlers }, { debug: true });

//open the endpoint
app.post('/sineql', async (req, res) => {
	const [code, result] = await sine(req.body);
	res.status(code).send(result);
});

//startup
const port = process.env.WEB_PORT || 4000;
app.listen(port, err => {
	console.log(`listening to *:${port}`);
});

const schema = `
scalar Date

type Book {
	String title
	Date published
	Float score
}

type Author {
	String name
	Boolean alive
	Book books
}
`;

module.exports = schema;

//there's a different handler object for query, create, update and delete
const queryHandlers = {
	Author: (query, graph) => {
		//TODO: implement this
	},
	Book: (query, graph) => {
		//TODO: implement this
	},
};

module.exports = queryHandlers;

Create a matching client-side function pointing to the server.

//create the wave function, wrapping a fetch to the server
const wave = body => fetch('http://example.com/sineql', {
	method: 'POST',
	headers: {
		'Content-Type': 'text/plain'
	},
	body: body
});

//get a list of content
wave('Author { name books { title } }')
	.then(blob => blob.text())
	.then(text => console.log(text))
	.catch(e => console.error(e))
;

The Schema Language

The schema language is a layout of how queries should be made, as well as what can be made with them. There are several built-in keywords for the schema language:

• type
• scalar
• unique
• typeName (this is a reserved keyword - it is not used in either language, but rather is used internally)

type is used for defining new compound types. scalar is for defining new scalar types, such as Date. unique is a modifier on a field, indicating that it is unique in the database.

The built-in types for the schema language are:

• String
• Integer
• Float
• Boolean

These can be combined into compound types as so:

scalar Date

type Book {
	unique String title
	Date published
}

type Author {
	unique String name
	Book books
}

The Query Language

The query langauge can be used to request data from a server, either in whole or in part by listing its type and its needed fields:

Author {
	name
	books {
		title
		published
	}
}

The fields can be altered as well, using the query language's built-in keywords:

• create
• update
• delete
• match

Create

When using create, match finds an existing record and associates that with the created values:

create Author {
	create name "Kenneth Grahame"
	match books {
		match title "The Wind in the Willows"
	}
}

You can create multiple records at once by surrounding them with []:

create Book [
	{
		create title "The Philosopher's Kidney Stone"
	}
	{
		create title "The Chamber Pot of Secrets"
	}
	{
		create title "The Prisoner of Aunt Kazban"
	}
	{
		create title "The Goblet of the Fire Cocktail"
	}
	{
		create title "The Order for Kleenex"
	}
	{
		create title "The Half-Priced Pharmacy"
	}
	{
		create title "Yeah, I Got Nothing"
	}
]

Update

When using update, match finds all existing records and updates those using the update keyword:

update Book {
	match title "The Wind in the Willows"
	update published "1908-04-01"
}

update Book {
	match title "The Wind in the Willows"
	update title "The Fart in the Fronds"
}

You can run multiple updates at once by surrounding them with []:

update Book [
	{
		match title "The Philosopher's Kidney Stone"
		update published "1997-06-26"
	}
	{
		match title "The Chamber Pot of Secrets"
		update published "1998-07-02"
	}
	{
		match title "The Prisoner of Aunt Kazban"
		update published "1999-07-08"
	}
	{
		match title "The Goblet of the Fire Cocktail"
		update published "2000-07-08"
	}
	{
		match title "The Order for Kleenex"
		update published "2003-06-21"
	}
	{
		match title "The Half-Priced Pharmacy"
		update published "2005-07-16"
	}
	{
		match title "Yeah, I Got Nothing"
		update published "2007-07-21"
	}
]

Delete

When using delete, only match is valid, and will delete all matching records:

delete Book {
	match title "The Fart in the Fronds"
}

You can run multiple deletes at once by surrounding them with []:

delete Book [
	{
		match title "The Philosopher's Kidney Stone"
	}
	{
		match title "The Chamber Pot of Secrets"
	}
	{
		match title "The Prisoner of Aunt Kazban"
	}
	{
		match title "The Goblet of the Fire Cocktail"
	}
	{
		match title "The Order for Kleenex"
	}
	{
		match title "The Half-Priced Pharmacy"
	}
	{
		match title "Yeah, I Got Nothing"
	}
]