> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://coldbox-orm.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://coldbox-orm.ortusbooks.com/v5.x/criteria-queries/criteria-builder/getting-started.md). # Getting Started Get a criteria builder with newCriteria() and run your first criteria queries You get a criteria builder from a Base ORM service, a Virtual Entity Service or an Active Entity by calling `newCriteria()`. The criteria is bound to one entity, the root of the query. It is a bx-orm criteria builder, the same object `entityCriteria( entityName )` returns. ## `newCriteria()` | Argument | Type | Required | Default | Description | | ------------------ | ------- | -------- | ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `entityName` | string | true | --- | The entity to query, the root of the criteria. Not passed on virtual services or Active Entities. | | `useQueryCaching` | boolean | false | `false` | Cache the query results in the second-level query cache (same as calling `cache( true, region )`). | | `queryCacheRegion` | string | false | `criterias.{entityName}` | The query cache region used when `useQueryCaching` is true. | | `datasource` | string | false | The service datasource | Ignored: the criteria always runs on the entity's own datasource. | {% hint style="warning" %} If you call `newCriteria()` from a virtual service or an Active Entity, don't pass the `entityName` argument: it roots itself automatically. {% endhint %} ```javascript // Base ORM service ormService.newCriteria( "User" ); // Virtual entity service userService.newCriteria(); // Active Entity getInstance( "User" ).newCriteria(); // With query caching userService.newCriteria( useQueryCaching = true, queryCacheRegion = "users.active" ); ``` ## Restrictions Restrictions are your `WHERE` conditions. Each one is added with `and`. The builder offers every cborm restriction (`isEq`, `like`, `between`, `isIn`, `isNull`, `sizeGt`, ...), groups with `or()`, `and()` and `not()`, a `not` prefix for any condition, and native SQL through `sql()`. See [Restrictions](/v5.x/criteria-queries/criteria-builder/restrictions.md). ```javascript // Posts that cost more than 30 postService .newCriteria() .isGe( "price", 30 ) .count(); // The most recent active user who has logged in userService .newCriteria() .isTrue( "isActive" ) .isNotNull( "lastLogin" ) .order( "lastLogin", "desc" ) .first(); // cborm style groups with c.restrictions var c = userService.newCriteria(); var users = c .like( "firstName", "Lui%" ) .and( c.restrictions.between( "balance", 200, 300 ), c.restrictions.isEq( "department", "development" ) ) .maxResults( 50 ) .order( "balance", "desc" ) .list(); // Closure style groups var users = userService .newCriteria() .or( ( c ) => c.isEq( "role.name", "admin" ).isGt( "age", 30 ) ) .list(); ``` {% hint style="success" %} **Tip**: Every condition can be negated with the `not` prefix: `notEq()`, `notIn()`, `notLike()`, `notBetween()`, `notIsNull()`, ... {% endhint %} ## Associations Use a dotted path (`role.name`) and the builder joins the association for you, or join it yourself with `joinTo()`, `leftJoin()` and `with{Association}()`. See [Associations](/v5.x/criteria-queries/criteria-builder/associations.md). ## Modifiers Modifiers change how the query runs: ordering, paging, caching, timeouts, read-only entities, locking and more. See [Modifiers](/v5.x/criteria-queries/criteria-builder/modifiers.md). ```javascript var users = userService .newCriteria() .like( "firstName", "Lui%" ) .order( "balance", "desc" ) .firstResult( 25 ) .maxResults( 50 ) .timeout( 5 ) .list(); ``` ## Results A criteria is only a description of a query: nothing runs until you call a terminal method. The most common ones are: * `list()`: the matching rows (entities by default). * `get()`: the single match, or `null`. * `getOrFail()`: the single match, or an `orm.notFound` error. * `count()`: the number of matching entities. * `paginate( page, maxRows )`: one page of results plus the pagination data. The result shape can be changed with `asStruct()`, `asQuery()` or `asStream()`, and `withProjections()` selects columns instead of entities. See [Results](/v5.x/criteria-queries/criteria-builder/results.md) and [Projections & Aggregates](/v5.x/criteria-queries/criteria-builder/projections.md). ```javascript var c = postService.newCriteria().isTrue( "isPublished" ); var total = c.count(); var posts = c.list( max = 10, offset = 0, sortOrder = "publishedDate desc" ); ``` ## Logging You can see the HQL and SQL a criteria produces without running it (`getSQL()`, `getHQL()`, `writeDump( c )`), and keep a log of SQL snapshots with `startSqlLog()`, `logSQL()` and `getSqlLog()`. See [SQL Log & Debugging](/v5.x/criteria-queries/criteria-builder/sql-log.md). ```javascript var sql = userService .newCriteria() .isEq( "userName", "joe" ) .like( "firstName", "%joe%" ) .getSQL( executable = true ); ``` ## Best Practices ### One criteria per query A criteria builder is mutable: every building method changes it. Create a new one with `newCriteria()` for each query and never keep one in a shared scope (application, singleton service properties), where concurrent requests would add conditions to the same object. When you need several variations of the same base query, branch with `copy()`. ```javascript // Good: a new criteria per call function getUsersByStatus( required string status ){ return newCriteria() .isEq( "status", arguments.status ) .list(); } // Bad: a criteria shared between calls and requests variables.userCriteria = newCriteria(); // Don't do this! // Branching a base query var base = newCriteria().isTrue( "isActive" ); var admins = base.copy().isEq( "role.name", "admin" ).list(); var total = base.count(); ``` ### Performance * **Cache stable queries**: `useQueryCaching` or `cache( true, region )` store results in the second-level query cache. * **Select only what you need**: projections and `asStruct()` avoid loading full entity graphs. * **Page large results**: use `paginate()`, `maxResults()` or `list( max, offset )`, and `each()` or `chunk()` to walk very large result sets in batches. * **Watch the SQL**: use `getSQL()` and `logSQL()` during development. ```javascript postService .newCriteria( useQueryCaching = true, queryCacheRegion = "posts.published" ) .isTrue( "isPublished" ) .withProjections( property = "id,title,slug" ) .asStruct() .list(); ``` --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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