Glossary

dialect class

A class (PG, MYSQL, SQLITE, ORACLE, MSSQL) that provides access to the builder classes and formatters for a specific database. See Dialect Classes.

builder

A class that constructs a SQL statement via method chaining. Created by calling an attribute on a dialect class — e.g. SQL.select() returns a SELECT builder.

formatter

An object that renders a built query into a SQL string with placeholders and a list of parameter values. Created via format() on a dialect class.

method chaining

A pattern where methods return self, allowing multiple calls to be composed in a single expression — e.g. SQL.select().from_table('t').column('*').

term

A single SQL condition (e.g. age > 18). Created via SQL.term(). See SqlTerm.

boolean expression

A combination of terms joined with AND or OR. Created via SQL.and_expr() or SQL.or_expr(). See SqlAnd and SqlOr.