ObjectQLIntroduction
ObjectQL — The Protocol-Driven Database Compiler for Metadata-First Applications
What is ObjectQL?
ObjectQL is a protocol-driven database compiler that turns declarative YAML schemas into type-safe, validated backend APIs. Instead of writing boilerplate CRUD code, you define what your data looks like — ObjectQL handles how it gets stored, validated, and served.
# Define your data model — ObjectQL does the rest
name: project
fields:
title:
type: text
required: true
status:
type: select
options: [planning, active, completed]
default: planning
owner:
type: lookup
reference_to: usersFrom this single file, ObjectQL automatically generates:
- Database tables with proper types and indexes
- Validation for required fields, select options, and referential integrity
- REST, GraphQL, OData, and JSON-RPC APIs for all CRUD operations
- TypeScript types for complete end-to-end type safety
Quick Start
Get a working project in 5 minutes with the CLI scaffolding tool.
Data Modeling
Learn the full schema language — field types, relationships, and validation rules.
Choose a Driver
Connect to PostgreSQL, MongoDB, SQLite, or 6 other database backends.
Why ObjectQL?
| Traditional ORM | ObjectQL |
|---|---|
| Schema defined in code (classes/decorators) | Schema defined in YAML/JSON — readable by humans and AI |
| Queries are language-specific method chains | Queries are a universal JSON AST — portable across languages |
| Validation added manually per endpoint | Validation injected automatically by the engine |
| Database-coupled logic | Driver-agnostic — swap databases without changing business logic |
| REST API requires separate controller layer | APIs auto-generated from metadata |
Core Capabilities
Production-Ready
- 6 Database Drivers — SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite), MongoDB, Memory, File System, Excel, Redis
- 4 API Protocols — REST, GraphQL, OData V4, JSON-RPC — auto-generated from your schema
- Validation Engine — Field-level, cross-field, and state machine validation
- Formula Engine — Computed fields with JavaScript expressions and dependency tracking
- Hook System — Complete lifecycle events:
beforeCreate,afterUpdate,beforeDelete, etc. - Action System — Custom RPC operations callable via any API protocol
Developer Experience
- VS Code Extension — YAML autocomplete, validation, and go-to-definition for
.object.ymlfiles - CLI Tooling —
create,generate,dev,build,testcommands - Hot Reload — Schema changes detected and applied automatically during development
- AI-Ready — JSON AST queries can be generated by LLMs and AI agents
How It Works
Define your schema in .object.yml files — fields, relationships, validation rules, and business logic.
ObjectQL compiles the schema into an internal AST, validates it, and registers metadata.
At runtime, the engine intercepts CRUD operations, applies validation and hooks, then delegates to the configured database driver.
API protocols (REST, GraphQL, etc.) are generated automatically from the compiled metadata.
Documentation Guide
| Section | What You'll Learn |
|---|---|
| Getting Started | Installation, project scaffolding, first CRUD operations |
| Modeling Data | Object definitions, all field types, relationships, migrations |
| Business Logic | Formulas, hooks, and custom actions |
| Data Access | Query API, filter operators, best practices |
| Drivers | Database driver setup, configuration, and comparison |
| Server & APIs | HTTP server integration, authentication, deployment |
| Performance | Query optimization, caching, connection pooling |
| Extending | Build custom drivers, plugins, and protocol adapters |
| Architecture | Internal design: Types, Core engine, Platform layer |
| API Reference | Complete REST, GraphQL, OData, JSON-RPC specifications |