Query Builder

Build SQL queries visually with a drag-and-drop canvas, column selection, filters, joins, grouping, and AI assistance — no SQL writing required.

The Query Builder in DBCode lets you construct SELECT queries visually. Add tables to a canvas, configure joins by dragging between columns, pick columns, set filters, and see the generated SQL update in real time. You can also use natural language to describe what you need and let AI build or modify the query for you.

Opening the Query Builder

There are three ways to open the Query Builder:

  1. Tree icon — Click the Query Builder icon next to a database in the DB Explorer
  2. Right-click — Right-click a database and select Open Query Builder
  3. Command Palette — Run DBCode: Open Query Builder. If no connection is in context, you’ll be prompted to select one

The Query Builder opens as a full editor tab with the connection’s schema pre-loaded.

Interface Overview

The Query Builder is divided into four areas:

  • Toolbar (top) — AI input bar, Run/Explain button, Save, and Open in Editor
  • Canvas (left) — Drag-and-drop area where tables appear as nodes and joins appear as edges
  • Config Panel (right) — Stacked sections for column selection, filters, GROUP BY, HAVING, ORDER BY, DISTINCT, and LIMIT
  • SQL Preview (bottom) — Read-only, syntax-highlighted SQL generated from the current model. Updates live as you make changes. Resizable by dragging the top border

Adding Tables

  1. Click the Add Table button on the canvas
  2. Search for a table by name in the dropdown — it filters as you type
  3. Select a table to place it on the canvas as a node

Each table node shows the table name, its columns with data types, and primary/foreign key indicators. You can drag nodes to reposition them on the canvas.

To remove a table, select its node and press Delete or Backspace.

Selecting Columns

The Columns section in the Config Panel lists all columns from your added tables. Each column has a checkbox to include it in the SELECT clause.

  • Drag to reorder — Grip handles on the left let you reorder selected columns
  • Alias — Click the alias field to give a column an output name
  • Aggregate — Choose an aggregate function (COUNT, SUM, AVG, MIN, MAX) from the dropdown. When you apply an aggregate, GROUP BY is configured automatically for non-aggregated columns

Joining Tables

When you add a second table that has a foreign key relationship with an existing table, DBCode automatically suggests a join.

To create a join manually:

  1. Drag from a column on one table node to a column on another
  2. The join appears as an edge connecting the two tables

Configuring Join Type

Click a join edge to see the join type picker. Hover over a type to preview its Venn diagram and description, then click to select:

  • INNER JOIN — Only matching rows from both tables
  • LEFT JOIN — All rows from the left table, matching rows from the right
  • RIGHT JOIN — All rows from the right table, matching rows from the left
  • FULL JOIN — All rows from both tables
  • CROSS JOIN — Every combination of rows (Cartesian product)

To remove a join, select the edge and press Delete or Backspace.

Filtering Data

The Filters section lets you build WHERE clause conditions without writing SQL:

  1. Click Add Filter
  2. Select a column from the dropdown
  3. Choose an operator (=, !=, >, <, >=, <=, LIKE, IN, IS NULL, IS NOT NULL, BETWEEN)
  4. Enter a value

Multiple filters are combined with AND/OR conjunctions. Click the conjunction badge to toggle between them.

Grouping and Aggregation

GROUP BY

The Group By section lets you group results by one or more columns. Select columns from the dropdown to add them. When you apply aggregate functions to columns in the Columns section, non-aggregated selected columns are automatically added to GROUP BY.

HAVING

The Having section adds conditions that filter grouped results (like WHERE, but applied after aggregation). Add conditions with column, operator, and value — the same interface as the Filters section.

Ordering Results

The Order By section controls result sorting:

  1. Click Add to add a sort column
  2. Select the column from the dropdown
  3. Toggle between ASC (ascending) and DESC (descending)
  4. Drag to reorder when multiple sort columns are defined

DISTINCT and LIMIT

  • DISTINCT — Toggle the checkbox to eliminate duplicate rows
  • LIMIT — Enter a number to cap the result set size

AI Assistance

The text input at the top of the toolbar accepts natural language descriptions. Type what you need and press Enter:

  • Build from scratch — “Show me all customers with orders over $100 in the last 30 days”
  • Modify existing — “Add a date filter for last month” or “Change to LEFT JOIN”
  • Aggregate — “Show total sales by category”

The AI reads your current query model and schema, then returns an updated model. The canvas, config panel, and SQL preview all update to reflect the changes. You can undo AI changes with Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z.

Running Queries

Click the Run button (or use the dropdown for Explain / Analyze where supported by your database) to execute the generated SQL. Results appear in the standard Results Pane, just like running a query from the SQL Editor.

The Query Builder tab stays open so you can refine and re-run.

Saving to Favorites

Click Save to save the query builder state to your Favorites panel:

  • First save — Prompts for a name, then stores the full visual state (tables, joins, filters, columns, positions) along with the generated SQL
  • Subsequent saves — Overwrites the saved favorite silently (no prompt)
  • Save As — Click the dropdown arrow next to Save to create a copy with a new name

Opening a saved query builder from Favorites restores the full visual state — table positions, joins, column selections, filters, and all configuration. If the query builder is already open, clicking the favorite reveals the existing tab instead of opening a duplicate.

Opening in Editor

Click Open in Editor to copy the generated SQL into a new SQL Editor tab bound to the same connection. This is useful when you want to hand-edit the query or save it as a .sql file.

Supported Databases

The Query Builder works with all databases supported by DBCode. SQL generation adapts to each dialect automatically:

  • Identifier quoting (double quotes, backticks, or square brackets)
  • LIMIT vs TOP vs FETCH FIRST for row limiting
  • Schema qualification where applicable

Undo and Redo

All changes to the query model support undo and redo:

  • Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z — Undo
  • Ctrl+Shift+Z / Cmd+Shift+Z — Redo

This includes AI-generated changes, so you can safely experiment and revert.